Heritage's Curse
by Ladyhawke Legend
Summary: A young women's life is completely changed when a mysterious stranger enters it. All she thought she knew is turned upside down as she slowly begins to learn of her true heritage. She has to decide to hang on to her humanity or accept what she truly is.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Auhtor's Note:** I have loved the movie _Cat People _since I was very young. I originally saw it in a censored format, and I actually like that version better than the regular R-rated version. You really don't have to have seen the movie to enjoy this story. Most of it is based on my own creative thinking, expanding on the movie's key themes, using what I really like and cutting out what I don't. I hope readers can have as much fun reading it as I have had writing it. Please leave a review at the end of the chapter and let me know how it hits you. I don't want to give away too much right now in summary, because I want the full brunt of the mystery to work its self out on its own.

**Rating: **I'm going to start out with this being rated T and see how that works. I might have to bump it up to M in later chapters; mainly for violence and gore. This is a horror story or supernatural story in most of its content, just to warn ya. There is some romance stuff too.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

I felt the strangest sensation of being watched. Just the faintest uneasiness creeping over me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. It didn't feel like a random stare or a wandering eye. It felt almost predatory, like I was being watched by a hunter; as if someone were stalking their prey. Deep down it frightened me, speeding up my pulse, making my heart pound in my chest, and causing blood to rush in my ears.

Trying to brush it aside was not working; it haunted me, kept me on edge. _This is silly, _I tried to convince myself internally. _Who would want to be watching boring, little, old Abigail Laroche? I must be imagining it. _These thoughts, of course, didn't really help assuage my fears very much.

Normally, I wasn't very sensitive or that observant to my surroundings; probably not a good thing. Right now, however, I was hyper-aware of what was around me for some reason; all my senses were sharp. Shadows had more definition to them, the birds' singing was louder than normal, and the smell of all the flowers was more distinct. _It has to because of the dreams, _I suddenly realized. _That would explain a whole lot._

Lately, I'd been having very vivid and intense dreams. They were not always the same, and I couldn't recall the particulars, but I knew they were filled with blood and gore, horror and death. Violent and terrifying, they woke me night after night soaked in sweat. _Those dreams are making me paranoid. That has to be it._

I wasn't one to have nightmares, at least not usually. I used to sleep soundly and peacefully up until about two months ago. That's when the dreams had begun. There was nothing out of the ordinary about my life; my childhood wasn't a traumatic one, and I hadn't experienced any recent or past tragedies either. _So why had the damned dreams started to plague me? The hell if I knew._

"Do you want to stick with the roses and lilies theme, or do you want to branch out into some other area?" the voice of Mimi, a tall, skinny, and dark-skinned wedding planner in a white suit-pant outfit was asking me.

Having been distracted by the eerie feelings and half-remembered fears, I blanked entirely on what she had just inquired about. Luckily, the tall, broad, and handsome man to the left of me, in tan Dockers and a white, button-down, short-sleeved shirt, answered for me. He was my fiancé, Raymond Edward Ferris.

After giving me a very concerned gaze with his hazel-green eyes, he said, "Could we look around a little bit more? I think we're kinda overwhelmed."

"Oh certainly, Mr. Ferris," Mimi gushed. "I'm not trying to push. Of course I'll let you two lovebirds wander through the gardens for a while, and then I'll pick your brains for ideas."

"Thanks, Mimi."

"No problem, Mr. Ferris," Mimi said with zeal, leaving us to meander up and down the rows and rows of colorful flowers.

Ray then turned to me, his face filled with worry. "You okay, Abby? Is something wrong?"

_Boy, he knew me so well_. Normally, I would be all giddy and talk nonstop about the wedding plans with Mimi; having too many ideas and not being able to make a decision. That was what I had Ray for. Now though, I wasn't paying attention to any details, and I had kind of lost my voice.

"Nothing's wrong," I lied, clearing my throat and plastering a smile on my face. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"You sure that's all it is?" Ray questioned, seeing right through my facade "You've been acting funny since we left the manor this morning. What has you so spooked?"

"Spooked?" That word surprised me, but it was an accurate description of how I felt.

"Yeah, you're jumpy, distracted, and kinda pale, even for you," he joked lightly at the end. Then he returned to being serious very quickly. "Is it the dreams again?"

_Man, Ray's batting a thousand today._ "Probably," I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I didn't get much sleep last night, and I can't seem to shake this creepy feeling I have."

"Should we pick out the wedding flowers another day?" he asked kindly, grabbing one on my hands in one of his big, strong ones. He reached up and gently brushed some stray locks of my honey-blond hair out of my face.

"No, no, no," I argued. "I've been after you for weeks to do this. Now that I've got you here, I'm not leaving until we're done."

Ray chuckled softly at me. "I'm not _that _bad, Abigail Laroche," he chided me.

"I know," I backpedaled. "Actually, you're quite wonderful, Ray, but we're here now, and I would just like to get things finalized, you know?"

He smiled at me, and then kissed me softly on the lips. "I know," he echoed my earlier statement. "But, if you really don't feel up to this today, we _can _reschedule."

"I think strolling through the gardens of _Fleurs Fraiches_, picking out flowers for our wedding is just what I need right now," I insisted stubbornly.

_Fleurs Fraiches_ was the newest and trendiest florist's shop in the heart of New Orleans. It had taken Mimi a long time to get us in, and I wasn't about to leave and come back. Besides, we'd already chosen the flowers for the bouquets and boutonnieres, and I hated to leave things only partially done.

Ray gave me "the look". When I was dead set on something, even if it wasn't wise or prudent, he gave me that look. It was supposed to intimidate me, with his eyes narrowed down to slits, his lips thinned into a grim line, and his cheeks hollowed. Right now, it made me want to laugh, however.

"Really, I'm fine, Ray," I stressed, suppressing my laughter, but smiling anyway.

Offering me his arm in a gentlemanly fashion and smiling too, he led us off down a row of brightly colored flowers. That's what I loved about Ray. He knew my needs and helped me get them met. Just like I knew his needs and could help him meet them too. We'd been friends for so long. Even though Ray had a few years on me, getting married and living with each other day-in and day-out seemed like the natural progression for our relationship. We loved each other deeply. We cared about each other's state of being. I knew I could spend my life with him without nitpicking at everything he did, and I felt he could deal with me the same way.

After picking out some dark pink sweet pea, white jasmine, and deep purple orchids, we decided we had the perfect flower combinations. By this time, I was becoming exhausted, running on only fumes. My vision kept blurring, and I started to feel dizzy. I must have been really sleep deprived. Ray noticed me tittering and sat me down on a bench in the middle of the flower gardens.

"Geez, honey," he said, his voice thick with worry, "you're burning up." He had the back of his hand pressed up against my forehead. "I'll go work out the final details as quickly as possible. You sit here and rest. Then I'm talking you to the doctor's."

"It's not that bad, Ray," I protested. "I just need some rest. You know my metabolism has always been kind of funny."

He gave me "the look" again. Ray knew that I hated going to the doctor's of any kind. "We'll see," was his response. "Stay here and rest. I won't be long." He then kissed the top of my head and hurried to go consult with Mimi.

I leaned my body and head against the bench's back, sliding down a little to do so comfortably. I made sure that I sat modestly in my pastel yellow-colored and thin-strapped sundress. I closed my eyes, trying to breathe deeply. I was way too warm suddenly. True, it was May in New Orleans, and it was nice and humid, but this was like a hot flash or something.

_I'm too young to be going through "The Change" as Mom called it, _I thought idly. _What is wrong with me? Am I getting sick or something? _I was beginning to feel a little panic set in. My head started to pound. _God, I feel awful. Maybe I _should _let Ray take me to the doctor's._

"Are you all right?" a strangely suave voice asked, seemly out of nowhere.

My eyes snapped open in surprise. Once they focused, I had to blink to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I saw a young man, probably close to my age, maybe a bit younger, with dark, almost black, shortish hair and the bluest, sparkling, crystal-like, blue eyes I'd ever seen. He was extremely attractive with a tall, well-built frame. The man had a strong, cocky confidence about him. He was dressed in all black; T-shirt, pants, shoes, and a leather jacket. This made me assess him as something of a bad boy — or at least that was image he wanted to portray. It was way too hot to be wearing leather today.

"Are you all right?" he repeated, when I just stared at him. Then, he seemed to slink forward, closer to the bench and me.

I was tempted to give him a smart-assed remark, but he appeared genuinely sincere in asking about my condition. "No, not really," I croaked out. It actually felt good to be honest.

"I couldn't help but notice you sitting here looking like you were in pain or like you were really sick," the young man told me. "Can I help?"

Now I really looked at him; he _was_ serious. He was trying to be a Good Samaritan. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. I'm just really tired."

"You look like you're a helluva lot more than 'just really tired'", he insisted, not hesitating to sit down beside me on the bench. He moved very quickly, but his movements had a graceful quality to them too.

Suddenly, he was in my personal space, feeling my forehead with the back of his hand, like Ray had done. His touch was cool and very soothing. Instead of shying away from him, I found myself pressing my head against his hand even more.

"Wow, you've really got a nasty fever. You're burning up," he whispered into my ear. His eyes seemed to bore into mine when I turned to look at him, and my pulse jumped in a new way. "We need to cool you down, and lucky for you, I think I have just the thing."

He took out a white, cloth handkerchief from out of his jacket's inner pocket. He stealthily stood up and searched around for something. When he spotted a free standing water spout, he strode over to it. It must have been an active spout used to water the flowers, because he turned it on with ease and water flowed from it. He was back at my side in seconds, applying the very cold, but wonderful-feeling cloth to my red hot forehead, moving my short bangs aside.

He held it there for quite a while without saying a word. Then he went and rewetted it, coming back to reapply it. He also mopped it around the rest of my face a little, dabbing it here and there. It was good my hair was up in a ponytail, for it didn't get in the way.

"Is that any better?" he finally spoke. "Do you need me to get you to the hospital or something?"

I smiled at his enthusiastic attitude. "No, but thank you for the offer. I'm actually here with my fiancé, and he can take me if it comes to that. Oh, and yes, I think the cold is helping," I answered in a jumbled manner.

"Oh," he said, the self-assuredness faltering a little, and then it was back. "I didn't realize you had a companion. I just saw you sitting here by yourself and —," he stopped.

"Thought I was a lone damsel in distress?" I finished for him, amused.

"That's about the gist of it," he admitted. "It's not every day you get the chance to assist a beautiful woman like yourself."

I laughed weakly, feeling myself blush. 'Thanks for the compliment."

"You're very welcome," his voice grew huskier as he spoke.

I had to repress the pleasurable shiver his voice had stirred down my back. "My name is Abigail Laroche. My friends call me Abby," I then introduced myself, trying to get a grip.

"Valen Gallier," he replied in kind. "So you're here picking out wedding flowers I take it?"

"You guessed right," I said, surprised at his astuteness. "What about you?"

"I made someone very mad at me, and I'm here trying to make it up to them," he informed me.

"Ahh, with flowers," I caught on.

"Yep," he confirmed.

Our conversation paused as he excused himself to go rewet the handkerchief once more. The sheer coldness of it felt like heaven when he returned. "Thank you," I murmured.

"You're welcome," he told me once again, his crystalline eyes boring into mine all the more. "Has anyone told you, you have the most uniquely green eyes?" he suddenly asked.

My breath caught in my throat. Between his gaze and his hand on my face, I was breathless for a moment. I couldn't answer him. I could only stare into his own set of uniquely colored eyes. Time seemed to stop. I was transfixed. Something primal stirred with in me; instinctual and animalistic. The sheer power and force of it shocked me to my core.

"I see you found a gullible, young man to take pity on you," Ray's voice broke the spell.

Valen was up and off the bench like a gun shot had gone off, but when he turned and faced Ray, he had a smugness about him. "You must be Abby's missing fiancé. It's nice to meet you, after having the pleasure of meeting her."

"Raymond Ferris," Ray replied, offering his hand to Valen to shake. I noticed he did it a little stiffly.

_Was Ray jealous? _I wondered to myself. I'd never seen him jealous over me before. Nothing was going on here that he should be jealous about. _Was there?_

"Valen Gallier." Valen took Ray's outstretched hand and shook it. Ray seemed to wince as if Valen had clasped his hand too tightly. _Am I seeing things?_

"I appreciate you looking after Abigail for me. It's nice to know that she wasn't sitting here all alone, while I finished up our business. She didn't seem to be feeling too well," Ray explained unnecessarily. "I hope it didn't cause you any undo trouble."

"Not at all, Raymond," Valen said, still smug. "It was no trouble in any way. In fact, it was rather enjoyable. She's quite a lovely woman."

Ray's jaw clenched. "I've always thought so. Both inside and out. Now if you will excuse us, I think I need to take her to the doctor's."

"I think I'm okay now, Ray," I said, trying to stand, but was overcome with vertigo.

It was Valen who caught me as I fell, his arms sliding around my waist to hold me up right. "Whoa, there," he told me. "You don't seem okay to me." His breath was in my ear again, causing me to tingle all over. I was very aware of his hands now on my hips, and that I was leaning against his well-built body for support. My heart was pounding in my chest, but not from fear.

"We'd better get her to my car," Ray said, his voice laced with real fear. _Was I that bad off?_

Valen gathered me up into his arms in one swift movement. My head rested on his shoulder. I could smell his leather jacket and the thick, woodsy smell of him underneath it. I inhaled deeply, feeling calmed by his scent. Then, we were moving. Valen was swift and silent as he ran me out to Ray's car. He had me quickly laid down in the back seat of Ray's BMW Series 1 Convertible. It was a little back seat, but I wasn't that big of a person either.

"Thank you, Mr. Gallier," Ray said. "I appreciate your help. I'll take it from here."

"Do you mind if I follow you to the hospital?" Valen asked. "I assume you're going to take her to the emergency room now, right? I kind of feel invested in her well-being."

"It's a free country, Mr. Gallier, do what you like," was Ray's noncommittal response.

I heard Ray slide into the driver's seat and the BMW's engine roar to life. "Hold on, honey, I'll get you looked after soon," he tried to reassure me, as he shifted the car into gear and tore off out of the parking lot.

The ride to the hospital felt like one of my nightmares. Images blurred passed me and sounds had a hollow, faraway warble to them. My head seemed too tight, the pressure in it building and building. My body had started to ache. I thought maybe I was coming apart at the seams. _What is wrong with me? Am I dying? _my mind wondered. _Today had started out so nice...waking up in Ray's arms...even after one of my nightmares..._

Ray's car lurched to a halt, and his door opened and closed with a bang. Then I was scooped up in his arms as he all but ran us through the hospital's emergency room door. "I need some help here!" he hollered. "Something's really wrong with her!"

A man with salt and pepper hair in a lab coat stopped abruptly in front of us, Ray having caught his attention. "What are her symptoms?" he asked professionally.

"She's burning up with fever. She's been dizzy. Her skin is pale. And she fainted," Ray tried to sum up.

"Can you hear me, miss?" the man in the lab coat asked me.

I could hear him, but trying to answer him was like swimming through molasses. His visage came and went from my sight. All I could do was let out a mournful moan.

"I think she is having a seizure," the man in the lab coat declared. "It looks like her eyes are trying to roll up into her head. Get me a gurney and let's get her into an exam room!" he yelled at someone I couldn't see or quite comprehend.

Someone took me from Ray's arms rather abruptly, plunking my body down on a flat surface. I could felt my body shaking itself uncontrollably, but I couldn't make it stop. I felt hands trying to hold me down to try and help, but it hurt. The last thing I could remember was letting out a gut-wrenching scream, and then the world tumbled away into nothing.

* * *

When I came to, it took a long time for my vision to coalesce into something real. First, there nothing but whiteness, then haziness, like a mist was over my eyes, and then finally shapes began to appear and become coherent forms. I didn't know where I was or what had happened to me. A hysterical panic started to well up within me, an irrationality.

"Ray!" I found myself crying out in a dry voice. "Ray!" I needed his reassuring presence suddenly. I was hooked up to all kinds of machines that beeped at me. There was also some kind of tubing up my nose and an IV stuck in my right arm.

"Easy, Abigail. It's okay. Just relax," a voice said that was not Ray's, but one that had a strange calming affect on me nonetheless. "You're perfectly safe. You're okay."

I looked to the source of the voice and found that it was indeed not my Raymond, but the leather-clad, young man from the flower shop. My brain somehow produced his name. "Valen? Where's Ray? Where am I?" I was panicking again.

A hand brushed soothingly along my one side of my face. "Shhh. It's okay, Abigail. Ray's just gone to the cafeteria for some more coffee. He'll be right back. I'm here," Valen told me gently. "You're at Saint Jerome's hospital. You had an extremely high fever that led you to have an epileptic fit."

All that came out of my mouth was, "I did?"

"Yes, you did," Valen said coyly, his eyes widening for a moment, mocking me. "You almost gave poor, old Ray a heart attack. I think I saw quite a few more gray hairs appear mixed in with that brown mop on his head."

I realized that it was Valen's hand stroking my cheek. It seemed so natural for him to be here, comforting me, but something deep inside me knew that it shouldn't. It was an internal battle suddenly; I was fighting with myself. Part of me wanted to pull away from him and his touch, and another part of me was more than content to have him keep up the pleasurable sensation.

"Why are you here?" I asked with more accusation than I had intended.

"I wasn't about to leave and be on my way with you in the condition that you were in," Valen defended himself, but in a teasing manner. "What kind of man would you have thought of me as? I wanted to make sure you were going to be okay."

"You don't know me from Adam," I argued. "Why do you even care? I'm a total stranger to you."

Valen gave me a hurt look, but something told me it was all an act. "Can I help it if you made a lasting impression on me? I like you. You were fun to talk to. I just wanted to see for myself that you were going to be all right. So sue me."

I looked at him with unhidden doubt. He pretended to squirm under my harsh gaze. "Okay, okay, fine. You caught me. I'm a little smitten with you, so I tagged along to see if the world would be short one angelic beauty or not."

I blushed at his obvious flattery and from his hand sliding down from my temple to my jaw. "Stop that," I ordered him, but it came out weakly.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" he queried, again like he was teasing me. He ran his hand up and down my face once more.

"Yes. No. Yes," I blurted out, confused. "Just stop it." I didn't want to like a strange man touching me so intimately, but the hell if I didn't.

Giving me a sly smile, he obeyed my request, resting his hand on the railing of the hospital bed. Part of me sighed, longing for his touch to resume. _What in the hell is going on here? What is wrong with me? I don't act like this. I love Ray. I'm marrying Ray in a couple of months. Who in the hell does this guy think he is?_

"Happy now?" Valen asked, with almost a smirk.

"Yes. No. Yes," I stuttered again. "Does Ray know you're here?" I suddenly tried to turn it around on him.

Valen chuckled lightly at my reaction. "He does in fact. Although, I don't think the old guy is too keen on my being here."

"Well, I'm not too keen about it either," I informed him, trying to ignore the now smoldering gaze Valen was giving me. "I thank you for your kindness earlier. Don't sully that act by being a dick now."

Valen laughed throatily at my insult. "Okay, look. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible flirt with women that I find to be highly attractive. That was part of the reason I was in the store in the first place."

"Making amends," I remembered.

"Yes. My flirtatious nature got me into some hot water with someone I care about." He hung his head. "I don't want mess this up either. I do like you. I'm glad you're recovering. I've never been involved in something like that. It was scary seeing someone as vicious as you, so near de—," he stopped himself.

"I almost died?" I half shrieked.

"Calm down, Abigail," he chided me. "It seemed like it was touch and go for a while. But you're fine now. No worries."

"What happened to me?" I demanded.

Valen jumped up out of his chair with great ease and moved toward the door. "That's something Raymond should discuss with you. I really _am _glad that you're okay." He was almost out the door. "Good luck to you, and I hope your wedding goes off well."

Then he was gone. Poof. Just like that. "Wai—," I tried to call out, but it seemed futile.

Now I was even more confused than before. One minute he was in my face, and then the next minute he was gone from my life. I knew absolutely nothing about him, but damn how I wanted know more. _Who was he? What did he do for a living? Was he a native of New Orleans? Where did he come from? Who had he hurt and was trying to make up with? Was he really attracted to me? _That last thought surprised me. _What did I care if a strange man was attracted to me or not? Did that mean I was attracted to him? _I had to put a lid on these ideas. I was getting married in a couple of months to my best friend, the perfect man for me. I shouldn't be even considering the thought of another man, let alone, some bad-boy-wanna-be. I was being really stupid.

_Maybe the whole situation just caught me off guard. I thought all was well, and so life had to be life and smack me upside the head. I need to be more vigilant and really appreciate all I have in Ray. _There it was settled.

At that moment, said man appeared in the door way, looking as haggard as I'd ever seen him. He had bloodshot eyes with dark circles under them, and his hair was mussed. "Abby, you're awake. Oh honey, you scared me to death."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to," I apologized. "Could you fill me in on what happened exactly, please, Ray?"

"Of course," he told me. "Let me go get the, doc." He came and kissed my forehead before disappearing back out into the hallway.

TBC…

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**Further Notes:**

Fleurs Fraiches is French for Fresh Flowers

Gallier is pronounced Gaul-yeah; the r is silent

In this chapter, I haven't used anyone from the 1982 movie. All the characters here are mine.

Don't forget to drop me a short line letting me know what your opinion is about what you read. What was good? What was bad? And so on. Thanks!

Major thanks to my friend Steff for listening my constant storytelling and all her input, and also major thanks to RadcliffePotter for beta reading for me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** Here is the next chapter. This chapter starts to explain some of what is happening to Abby, at least from the doctor's point of view. Readers also get to see her in a social setting, getting to know her a little better, as well as some of her friends. She also gets a big bombshell dropped on her. Let me know what you think.

**Rating T:** For some language

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The physician's explanation wasn't really _that_ informative, I came to find. It seemed he really didn't know what the hell was wrong with me. Ray sat right by my side the entire time Dr. Gerard talked to me. His support was the only thing keeping me from falling to pieces at the moment.

"We've been able to get your fever to break. The intensity of that fever is what caused you to have a seizure," Dr. Gerard was saying. "These factors all put stress on your heart, which caused the muscles of your heart to clench up. Basically, this led you to go into cardiac arrest, but we were able to get your heart back into a nice, normal rhythm."

"But what caused the fever in the first place?" I demanded to know. So far, Dr. Gerard had skated around this question.

It was never a good thing when a doctor looked down at his hands. "That was what was most puzzling. Your blood work came back with no sign of infection, bacteria or viruses. Although, your white blood cell count was much higher than normal. However, we ruled out blood poisoning. Your red blood cell count was also much higher than normal, but the oxygen levels in your blood are where they should be. We've been able to rule out any lung or heart disease. Your kidneys are functioning normally as well. Also, there is no evidence of unusual cell masses in any of your organs. "

"So no cancer?" I asked. "You've run all the tests for that? Scanned me? Done biopsies?"

"You've been unconscious for days, Miss Laroche," the doctor seemed to get defensive. "Of course we've done thorough MRI scans, CT scans, ultrasounds, and so on at the insistence of Mr. Ferris. He wanted no stone left unturned. With finding no unusual cell masses, there has been no need to do any biopsies."

_So Ray has been throwing his money and influence around. I told him a thousand times not to do that for me, _I thought sourly."All you've told me so far is what's _not _wrong with me, Dr. Gerard," I fumed. "Can you tell me anything about what _is _wrong with me? And who is this 'we' you keep talking about?"

"I had to call in some specialists to try and help diagnosis your condition, Miss Laroche," Gerard informed me. "We doctors cannot all be 'House'", he then tried to joke.

It fell flat on me, however. "And?" I said, wanting him to get to the point.

"The only diagnosis that I can give right now, without doing more calculated tests, is that there is chance there is a problem with your bone marrow or your immune system itself. That would account for both higher levels of red and white blood cells. Some kind of disease or defect in your bone marrow is the most likely candidate we can conclude at this time," Gerard told me, finally looking me in the eye.

"You think there's something wrong with my bone marrow?" I asked appalled. _How could this be happening to me? Why this and why now?_

I started wondering if there were any conditions like this in my family history that dealt with bone marrow defects. The problem with looking further into that was that I had been adopted. My adoptive parents were angels, and I loved them very much. They had not only welcomed me into their home, but they had also welcomed me into their hearts. The Laroches hadn't been able to have any children of their own naturally. After they had exhausted all of their options to do so, they came to the conclusion that they could still fill their home with children by adopting.

I had been one of four kids they adopted, and even though none of us were related by blood, we were a true family. We were all nurtured and raised with genuine love and concern. Our parents were strict, but fair. Our bonds were forged through trials and tribulations, as well as through fun and play.

When the Laroches sat me down to find out how I felt about looking into who my biological family was—for they had always been upfront with me about where I came from—I told them that _they _were my mom and dad. I didn't have any desire to want to find out anything about my birth parents. It was a can of worms that I just didn't want to open. Maybe now, however, I might need to rethink that decision I made so long ago.

"We still need to do more tests to get a better sense of what is going on, Miss Laroche," Dr. Gerard was saying. "We need to obtain a number of samples of your actual bone marrow from several different sites and investigate further."

I did not like the sound of that; it wasn't good news. "Just how serious do you think this bone marrow deal is?" I then asked, trying to get around the lump forming in my throat. "Will it cause fevers and seizures again?"

"That is a distinct possibility," Gerard told me bluntly. "We'll know more once we've studied your bone marrow itself."

"Does it have to be done now? The testing I mean. Will this condition get worse over time? Will it get worse quickly or gradually? Will it kill me?" I fired off questions as panic started to set in again.

The doctor took a deep breath. "Right now we really don't know what it will mean. The immediate danger you are in comes from the fever returning. If it raises your body temperature too high, you'll start to convulse again. That in turn endangers both your heart and your brain."

"What do you suggest we do?" Ray asked, finally stepping in.

"Miss Laroche is stable at the moment," Gerard said after some thought. "We would like to get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later, which I'm sure you would too, Mr. Ferris. But exacting bone marrow is a complex process. I would suggest, letting Miss Laroche go home, rest, and build up her strength. Then she will need to return in no more than two weeks for the procedure. Meanwhile, she must monitor her temperature at all times and be admitted into the ER at the first sign of any problems."

I guess the doctor was finally having some mercy on me. "I—that sounds more doable," I choked out. "I don't think I could face it all right now."

"It's okay, honey," Ray said soothingly. "We'll get you through this." He squeezed my hand and kissed my forehead.

"If you're still in a stable condition after another eight hours, I will sign your release papers with the stipulation that you schedule a time to come back in," the doctor ordered.

"Okay," I said weakly, falling back onto the bed. I was so tired and freaked out. _I'm getting married a couple of months! This can't be happening!_

Dr. Gerard got up and left the room. I looked at Ray with what had to be pure fear. "Oh, Abby. Don't worry. We'll work this out," he cooed, gathering me in his arms as he sat on the bed with me.

I let him cuddle me. I needed to be held desperately. I started sobbing. Ray just let me cry it all out, knowing that I needed to do so. He rubbed my back in comforting circles and rocked me back and forth for a while.

"You won't leave me will you?" I suddenly blurted out, feeling insecure and so afraid.

"Of course not, you silly girl," Ray admonished me. "I love you. I'll never leave you."

In my heart I knew this to be true, but for some strange reason I just needed to hear Ray say the words. "I love you too, Ray," I said with a hiccup.

* * *

I had been stuck in the house for five days. Albeit, Ray's manor house was plush and luxurious, a typical New Orleans plantation home, but I was still getting cabin fever. I was trying to be good and just rest, but I was a doer. I liked to be busy doing things. Laying in bed or on the couch all day wasn't good for someone like me, even if it was for my own health. I had tried addressing wedding invitations, going online to finalize the wedding cake design, and had a long telephone conversation my sister, Amelia, but it wasn't enough.

I talked Ray into letting me free of my prison for just a few hours to go to lunch with my girlfriends. I needed to enjoy going outside and being in the company of others to get my mind off the fact that I might have some serious health problem. I was feeling much better, still tired, but not dizzy, and I hadn't had any sign of another fever. There was a little bar and grill not too far from Ray's that he'd agreed to let me go to. Their seafood was to die for. The best shrimp and crabs around. It was heavy on the Cajun spices too.

At noon I met my three good friends, Elizabeth Warner, Jessica Beaumont, and Victoria Benson— Beth, Jess, and Vicky—there. They were going to be my bridesmaids. My older sister, Amelia, was going to be my maid of honor. We sat in a comfy booth that looked right out onto the bayou. _Big Daddy's_ was quite today, not good for business, but good for us. We had our privacy. It was fun to sit in amongst all the red and white checkered tables and chairs, staring out at the tall and thickly trunked Cypress trees in the middle of the swamp.

After we all had ordered our favorites—mine was the Cajun grilled shrimp and pasta—we sat back to talk and relate the latest gossip to each other. It was just what I needed. Now that they had all seen me, their fears over my health were abated for the time being. This was good because I_ so _didn't want to talk about me right now, not even wedding plans.

Vicky, the youngest of us, started out our conversation. She was a tall, leggy, blue-eyed blonde, whom I envied. She was dressed in tight-fitting, jean shorts and a white sleeveless blouse. "Did any of you catch the news this mornin'?" she asked, her southern accent much thicker than the rest of ours.

"I didn't have time this mornin', sugar," Jess told us. "Between my exercise route and havin' to be to work early today, so I could slip away and come to lunch, I just tuned it all out. Not all of us have the luxury of _not_ earnin' a livin', Vick." Jess was a strawberry blonde with a hefty bust and of average height. She was dressed more for work at the office than the rest of us, in a cream-colored skirt and short sleeve blouse. She was a paralegal.

"I can't help it that I married a successful shippin' mogul," Vicky teasingly defended herself.

I nipped that in the bud real fast. "You achieved exactly the goal to you set out to, Vick, and we all know it. You hunted for Darrel for a long time."

She smiled her forty-watt smile at me. "True, Abs, true," she admitted. "And he's been worth every effort."

"So what was on the news?" Beth piped up. She was a pretty brunette with dark brown eyes. She was on the smaller side, like me. Dressed in her blue and white tour uniform, she looked like a sailor. Beth was a New Orleans/Louisiana historical expert. She worked for a local tour group that took tourists to all the hotspots in New Orleans. The things this girl knew about the history of the city and the state blew my mind. "You're not gonna mention that horrible mauling are you?"

"Yeah, wasn't that awful?" Vicky asked, oblivious to Beth's discomfort.

"What happened?" I blurted out before I knew it.

"I'm surprised you haven't heard about it, Cherie," Vicky drawled. "You're the one that has had all the free time lately. It happened not far from your place of employment too."

"You mean the zoo?" I asked, my curiosity really piqued now. I had been so preoccupied with getting to go out today, that I hadn't even turned on the television or the radio. Besides, after five days straight, it all bored me anyway. I'd been trying to decide on what to wear out to lunch. I had finally gone with white capris and a light green, sleeveless, and ruffily shirt.

Vicky gave me a coy look. "Do you have a side job I don't know about?"

I blushed at her implication, but tried to take her jest in stride. "So what happened?" I repeated.

"They found some poor woman torn to pieces across the Mississippi from the Audubon Institute along River Road," Vicky expounded.

"Do we have to talk about this at lunch, Vick?" Beth complained.

"I'm just trying to talk about somethin' more interestin' than your non-existent love life, darlin'," Vicky retorted.

Even though Beth was the most shy of all of us, pushing her buttons got her all riled up. Not that I blamed her. Vicky's comment was harsh, even if it did smack of the truth. Poor Beth was at a loss with guys. She was beautiful, but just got all tongue tied and backward around the opposite sex.

"I'll have you know that I've met someone," Beth announced with pride. "And he isn't some geeky loser either," she added at Vicky's skeptical look.

"Oh, Beth that's wonderful," Jess gushed. "Who is he? Spill!"

"A very tall, dark, and handsome man named Valen Gallier," she told us triumphantly. "He imports and exports classic cars and motorcycles. He restores them and then sells them."

At the mention of Beth's new love interest's name, I choked on some of the shrimp in my mouth. I coughed and coughed, having to spit the piece of food out. I hurriedly grabbed some water to try and stop my throat from spasming. _I couldn't have heard Beth right, could I have? That would be too weird a coincidence. _I hadn't told any of them about my encounter with Valen at the flower shop or the hospital, yet. Now, I didn't think it was a good idea.

"Abby, honey, are you okay?" Jess asked with concern, patting me on my back.

"I will— be in a— minute," I managed to croak out.

"What caused that?" Vicky queried.

I took a deep breath before I answered. "I just swallowed down the wrong throat. I guess I didn't chew my food enough or something," I lied.

After they were all sure I wasn't dying, Jess pumped Beth for more information. "So tell us all how you met said stud."

Beth blushed at the attention, but I knew she was happy to have it on herself for a change. "It was after I had finished a tour of the French Quarter. One of the couples in my group had their rental road bike break down on them. Valen happened along on a gorgeous bullet bike and offered to help them. I ended up staying and talking to him while he looked their motorcycle over, and the tourists kind of expected me to stick around and help them too."

"I take it you two hit it off?" Vicky asked, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively as she sipped her ice tea.

"Yeah," Beth said in a dreamy voice. "He was such a gentleman and just really easy to talk to. Not to mention _soooooo _hot!"

"How long have you been seeing him?" I found myself asking. I was wondering if Beth was the one he had been looking for flowers for at _Fleurs Fraiches _that day I met him.

"About a month now," she admitted quietly, looking down at her crab legs.

"What? And you're just tellin' us about this now!" Vicky exclaimed.

Beth blushed again. "I wanted to see if it was going to go somewhere, you know, before I told anyone about him. I wanted something to really tell you guys."

"You have to tell us all the details," Jess said, more excited than I'd seen her in a long time. "How's his package?"

I tried not to choke again. I couldn't believe that was the first question out of Jessica's mouth. Then as I thought about it, it really was typical of Jess. She had a long list of the guys she'd been with and was always on the lookout for the next one. _Do I really want to know all the intimate details about Valen from Beth? Do I really want to know more about him at all?_ A part of me was all ears, but another part of me was wary and a little scared to know more.

Beth went scarlet now, taking a long drag on her Diet Coke. "Things haven't progressed that far, Jess. I'm—we're—taking it slow, getting to know each other. You know I'm not one to just sleep with anyone. Unlike for some of you, it means something more than self-gratification for me."

I couldn't help but smile at Beth, and I put my hand over hers in sympathy. I shared her sentiment. Ray and I had taken a very long time to progress to that stage of our relationship. Some things between men and women _were _more important than just a physical need. "I'm glad that you found a guy that's willing to work with you, Beth. You're taking some great major steps. You're growing, taking a chance, trying to build something," I told her.

"Out of everyone, I knew you'd get it," Beth whispered back.

"Oh come on," Vicky chimed back in. "You've been goin' out with the guy for a month and you haven't slept with him? If he is '_sooooo_ hot', then why haven't you? I would've."

"Yeah, it's not like you've had a lot of prospects," Jess said, picking at her shrimp salad. "You need to get it when you can."

Beth was visibly distressed now, almost ripping her napkin apart. I decided to put a stop to this. Vicky and Jess meant well. They wanted to see Beth loosen up and have some fun. What they didn't understand was that her definition of loosening up and having fun weren't the same as theirs. They wanted her to be happy and have someone to be with. They just didn't get that Beth needed something more than just a chemical attraction with a man. She needed to find someone she could trust and count on too.

"Back off you two jackals," I snapped. "Beth _is_ progressing. Let her do it _her_ way and at _her_ speed. We should be thrilled that she's found someone she likes and is trying to date. She's come a long way. I'm proud of her."

"You would be, Miss It's-Taken-Me-Ten-Years-Of-Gettin'-To-Know-A-Guy-Before-I'll-Marry-Him," Vicky came back at me with.

I laughed at her. "Ray and I've have been _friends_ for ten years. Ever since I started out as a veterinary technician, and he brought in Beau to be treated after he got hit by a car. That's true, Vick, but it has just been in the _last _year that we've realized that we could be more."

"No, no, no," Jess insisted. "It has taken _you_ that long to realize that Ray's the one for you. He's been in love with you since the moment you two met."

My mouth fell open. I looked from Jess to Vicky. "Pardon me, but who has known Ray the longest? _Me. _Who has spent the most time with him? _Me._ He dated many women during our time as friends, and I dated many men. It took us _both_ a long time to weed through the garden. Luckily, we found each other somewhere in the middle."

"Look, I'm happy for the both you and Beth," Jess tried to smooth out the ruffled feathers. "It took you guys like _forever_ to get with the program, but you have. Vick and I have tried to push and prod you two stubborn mules, but I guess you really had to do it your own way."

"Just like we've chosen to do things our way," Vicky finished for her. "I knew what I wanted straight off, and I wasn't afraid to go get it. Jess likes her freedom and wants to experience all the selection life has to offer before she settles down. You two, on the other hand, haven't known what you've wanted, and have had to work at figuring that out. The good thing is that you _are_ figurin' it out."

"I'm sorry for my overbearin'ness," Jess then apologized. "I was lookin' at it solely from my point of view. I forget that not everyone sees the world as I do. Beth, honey, just have fun with the guy will you? Let yourself enjoy him."

Beth let out a breath she'd been holding. "I am. Believe me. Just not _your _kind of fun."

"Nobody _but_ Jess can handle _her_ kind of fun," I quipped, breaking up the rest of the tension that had suddenly overcome us. They all laughed, realizing the truth of my statement.

"Are we goin' to be permitted to meet this new man in your life?" Vicky suddenly asked, after catching her breath.

That froze me in place and wiped all the mirth off my face. _How can I face him again in front of Beth? What would he say to me? What would I say to him?_

"Only if you promise to be on your best behavior," Beth said severely. "If you go off like you just did, there's no way in hell you'll get to meet him."

"We'll be good, we swear," Jess promised. "Right, Vick?"

"Absolutely," Vicky replied. "We care about you too much to sabotage this new development in your life. We won't embarrass you."

"Pinky swear?" Beth questioned with a smile.

Vicky and Jess looked at each other, laughed, and said together, "Pinky swear, darlin'."

"I know where you guys are coming from," Beth said, accepting the apology and pledge gracefully. We'd all been friends long enough to know when to give and take or when to dish it out or shovel it in. "But, I'm happy right now. It's all new and fresh. I just want to pace myself and enjoy the experience."

"Just don't dawdle too long, Cherie," was Jess's last admonishment.

I decided this would be a good time to change the subject. I didn't really want to talk anymore about Valen. I didn't want to risk letting something slip about having already met him. Bringing it up would just make things way too awkward. I tried to chalk it up to being a very strange coincidence or a very small world we lived in. The problem was that I didn't really believe in coincidences.

"So, Vick, what was it you were saying about someone being killed or something across the river from the zoo?" I then asked.

Beth shivered, but didn't comment. I think she was glad to be off the hot seat—although at first, I think she'd liked it, just a little bit.

"Well, accordin' to the local news, WWL, Channel 4, the authorities had a hard time even identifyin' the body as female, it was so shredded up," Vicky readily told us. We all grimaced, but lamely wanted to hear more, so she went on. "They think it was a wild animal attack of some kind from the looks of it. These days, however, you never know."

"What kind of animal do they think it was?" I pushed. Being a vet of large predatory animals myself, it made me wonder. "Gator?"

"They didn't think so," Vicky explained. "Don't gators usually drag their prey with them into the water, roll it, and then stick it under a log or somethin'?"

"Usually," I replied. "They might chomp off a limb here or there, but they don't completely shred up their prey."

Jess jumped back in. "What would then?"

Vicky looked to me to answer that one. "A coyote might, but only if it was a pack of them. A puma, bobcat, or Florida panther could possibly do it. I would probably vote for a black bear, though. They're big and powerful creatures, and if they're hungry enough they'll eat anything. Or if they're sick or wounded, their behavior can become erratic and violent. Attacking people is rare, but not unheard of," I expounded. "Lately, all over the country I've heard about bears invading camping sites and causing real problems. We could have something like that here."

"But that far into the city?" Beth demanded.

"Our city is settled on a swamp," I reminded everyone. "The sea and river pushed back by levees. Animals don't need much of an excuse to pop up in the city once in awhile. Gators do it all the time. Snakes too. Not to mention opossums and raccoons. The only thing that keeps critters away from populated areas is their fear of humans. This bear or whatever animal it is may have lost its fear of people."

"That's not a comforting thought," Beth commented.

"Only if you don't understand animal behavior," I tried to reassure her. "The authorities will call in experts; they'll determine what kind of animal it is, track, and capture or kill it. If it is a man eater, then it'll have to be put down."

Vicky had more gruesome news. "Oh the news didn't say anythin' about the body bein' eaten. At least, not on the authorities' first look-see. The body was just savagely torn to pieces."

"Thanks, Vick," Beth said mournfully. "Now I'm going to have nightmares."

I almost choked on my pasta this time, but thankfully I caught myself. If Beth knew of the horrible things I dreamt about night after night, she'd never want to sleep again. They all were aware that I was having bad dreams, but I never shared the details with them about what exactly took place in my nightmares. However, since coming home from the hospital, the dreams had let up somewhat. I was sleeping more peacefully, for which I was extremely grateful.

"So is this the only attack that's made the news? Have you heard of any others?" Jess now asked.

"The report mentioned there might be a connection to one other bizarre death in the same area, a few months ago, but it's nothin' concrete," Vicky said.

"I'll have to be sure to ask around at work and see what the consensus is there," I told them, finishing up the last of my meal. "Whenever the dopey doctors will let me go back," I then whined. "My babies need me."

Beth laughed. "Yeah, all the ferocious jungle cats, I'm sure."

"Well, I sure as hell miss them," I said with a pout. "They're used to the routine I provide them, the stability. They'll all be really thrown off."

"I don't know how you can go near such beasts," Vicky scoffed good-naturedly.

"They're just big kitties, really," I tried to tell them. "Sure they're still wild animals, but they behave just like any other cat."

"It just frightens me to death," Beth said with another shiver. "I couldn't go near one, let alone doctor them like you do."

I just shrugged. "I love it. I think they're wonderful. It's my dream job. I can't believe I got so lucky to work with them. After veterinarian school, Ray was able to introduce me to the right people, I guess."

They all shook their heads at me, just not understanding the bond I seemed to have with animals, especially the ones that tended to have sharp teeth and claws. The rest of lunch went by quickly, as we all shared some pecan pie for dessert. All in all it was a fun time; I was just glad to be out and among my friends. It was liberating somehow. It made me feel human again, connected.

After we all paid our separate checks, Vicky went to her car to go do some shopping down in the business section of the city, and Jess had to return to her office. Beth didn't have any tours scheduled until later in the day, and I had to wait for Ray to come pick me up. He was _so_ Mr. Protective ever since my rush the emergency room. I really didn't mind; driving right now was probably not a good idea for me considering the unstable condition I could be in at any time. So Beth and I sat outside on one of _Big Daddy's_ benches in the shade; she kept me company until Ray got there.

As we sat talking about nothing and everything, a big, black motorcycle gunned its way up the street toward us. At a second glance, I recognized the handsome features of Valen Gallier. It took me aback, and all I could do was just stare as he approached, helmetless and in a form-fitting black T-shirt and black jeans. I tried to concentrate on the bike itself so I wouldn't look like I was staring at him.

The motorcycle was what would be called a street bike or a bullet bike. It looked like a Honda Interceptor, what year or model I wasn't sure. It did have a V-4 fuel injected engine and a sophisticated twin-spar, all-aluminum chassis design though. The new models had a sure-stop breaking system with anti-lock brakes. It sure looked black and sleek, sharp and aerodynamic. It was awe-inspiring. Ray had taught me a lot about cars and motorcycles, as they were a passion of his.

Valen pulled up right in front of us. Beth seemed as surprised as I was to see him outside _Big Daddy's_. She jumped up off the bench and ran to him as he came to a stop and cut the engine. "Valen!" she cried enthusiastically. "What are you doing here?"

He slid his thin and oval shaped Polo sunglass down his nose and looked at her over the top of them. "I was in the neighborhood and thought that I might get to see you, B," he told her smoothly.

"You're going to get to see me tonight, babe," Beth teased him. "You couldn't wait until then?"

"Nope," he told her playfully. "I wanted to talk you into a ride."

_Oh, Beth if that innuendo goes right over your head…_I thought. It did, however. "I'd love to!" she exclaimed.

He then looked over at me. The look he gave me told me he knew I'd been standing there by the bench the entire time they'd been greeting each other. He narrowed his eyes at me in a clearly smug and seductive manner. A coy smile curved his lips. Then he said, "It's nice to see you up and around, Abigail."

All I could do was continue to stand there and look like a complete idiot. I was gaping at him. _How am I going to explain his question to Beth? What game is he playing here? The slimy bastard!_ My thoughts were interrupted by Beth's accusatory glare as she turned and looked at me. _Oh shit-on-a-stick, what do I say now?_

TBC…

* * *

So what's the verdict? Good, bad, love it, hate it, like it?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** This chapter deals with Valen putting his diabolical plan into action concerning Abby, it lets readers get to know Ray through Abby's eyes, and delves more into her nightmares. Hopefully, it is fun, scary, and insightful. Thanks to RadcliffePotter for beta reading for me. I'm glad she catches my mistakes.

**Rated T:** For some language and horror-violence. Abby's nightmare is kind of bloody and gory, just to warn you.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

I was caught between Valen's crystalline blue eyes and Beth's dark brown ones. Both looking at me expectantly; one sly and the other confused. So, I tried to look elsewhere, and boy was that a mistake. My gaze shifted to Valen and his physique as he sat on his elegant machine. His nicely shaped legs were easily holding up the large and heavy motorcycle, and they led up to a tight and round behind. I made myself continue traveling up his strong chest and muscular arms. His T-shirt was hugging him, but not distastefully so. His dark hair was windswept and sexy. Eventually, this led me back to his intensely blue-colored, glass-like eyes. This was _so_ not helping. This man was fine in every sense of the word, but he was dangerous; I could feel it radiating off him.

Finally, I found my voice, deciding to play dumb and see what Valen did. It seemed like he was toying with me, testing me. "Pardon me?" I said to him with my best innocent-looking expression on my face.

"You are Abigail—Abby—right? The one Beth has been so concerned about for days? The friend who was hospitalized?" Valen then solved the problem he'd created in the first place. "You're feeling better I take it?"

"Yes. Thank you for asking." I gave a standard answer to his questions, very unsure of what was going on.

Beth's confusion seemed to instantly clear up. "Oh, yes, Valen this is 'the Abby' I'm constantly talking about. Abby this is Valen Gallier, the guy I mentioned at lunch," Beth said, making introductions she didn't know were unnecessary.

"You were talking about me during lunch?" Valen asked amused with a raise of one of his dark eyebrows. He then looked straight at me again, a very mischievous glint to his eyes.

"The girls wondered what I'd been up to, so I told them about meeting and spending time with you," Beth explained, oblivious to Valen's antics towards me.

_Poor Beth thinks this guy is a gentleman. He's a major player, and he's playing her. _I couldn't decide what I should do: tell her or let her find out on her own. I didn't want to see her hurt, especially as this schmuck was the first guy she'd dated in a long time, but she needed to learn from her own experience how to recognize and deal with guys like these too.

"Ah, I was part of the friendly gossip then," he teased her. "I'm honored."

This made Beth laugh. "You should be," she flirted back, walking closer to him playfully.

"Hop on, sweetheart," he said, gesturing for her to climb up on the bike behind him, but he was staring at me when he spoke.

My body tingled with anticipation. The thought of getting on that speed machine with him was tantalizing. I felt my legs twitch with the need to walk over and climb on up behind him. My arms ached with the need to wrap around his well-shaped waist and cling to him. I suddenly wanted to bury my nose in his shoulder and breathe in his woodsy smell again. It took great effort on my part not to move or show any sign of my momentary desire. _How old am I? Sixteen? I don't think so. I'm not some silly school girl. What's gotten into me?_ The flurry of feelings and sensations was almost overwhelming, leaving me perplexed.

While I was struggling internally, Beth had grabbed Valen's outstretch hand, and he had helped her get situated behind him. Her arms what went around his waist to anchor herself to something solid. As I watched this take place, a hot flash of envy and a sharp sense of jealous washed over me. _That should be me, not her, _a dark part of me thought. _What!_

"You ready?" Valen was asking Beth.

"Oh yah!" Beth responded excitedly.

Valen started up the bike, gunning the gas just for show, making the bike rumble and roar. Then he turned to Beth and asked, "Wait, didn't you want to invite your friend and her fiancé to go dancing with us next weekend?"

I heard his question over the noise of the motorcycle, and I had to sit back down on the bench. My legs wouldn't support me anymore. _He wants to go on a double date with Ray and me? What's he up to? That's such a bad idea._

"I kinda had decided against that since Abby's whole hospital ordeal," Beth told him, as if she was reminding him of a previous conversation. "Besides, she has to go back and have her bone marrow sampled next week. That would not be conducive to dancing, Valen."

"So let's go this weekend," Valen pushed. "If she's feeling up to it, she might want to get out of the house again. Let her hair down. Don'tcha think?"

I was sitting right there, but they were talking about me like I wasn't. "My doctor would probably have a conniption fit if I tried anything like that," I used as an excuse, having to holler a bit. "Even if it sounds like fun." _Ugh, Abby, why did you add that last part? _I asked myself. Probably because there was a part of me that really wanted to go. I loved dancing, but going at this point in time and with Valen in the picture was just plain stupid.

"You don't have to tell him you went," Valen offered. He turned back to Beth. "You said you wanted me to get to know your friends. Don'tcha think it's time that I did?"

"It's sweet that you want to spend time with them, Valen, but the timing isn't good right now," Beth argued. "I just don't want to send Abby back to emergency room."

"Then let's play it by ear," Valen said, still not giving up. "If she starts to feel funny or unwell, we can call it a night. It doesn't have to be a full-out event. Just dinner and a little dancing. Come on B, you've been talking about this for a while now. Strike while the iron's hot."

I could see Beth starting to cave, wanting to please him and wanting to seem agreeable. "What do you think, Abs?" she asked me.

"Let me talk to Ray, see what he thinks," I passed the buck. "If he approves and agrees, I'd be up to at least try it. I _would _really like to have a night out. Hell, I need one. I think Ray does too. I've been fine today, so let's see." _What was I saying? I shouldn't be planning an outing like this._

"Sounds like a plan to me," Valen said triumphantly. The smile he gave me was so cocky and smug that I wanted to slap it right off his face.

"I'll call you later, okay?" Beth yelled, as Valen revved up and then shifted into gear.

"Okay," I called back.

_What had I just done? What compelled me to agree to go along with this? _I had absolutely no answers for myself.

* * *

I waited a while after I returned from lunch to broach the subject of going out for a night on the town with Ray. He had work to do, and I wanted to catch him at the right moment. I knew I could talk him into it, if I put it to him in the right way at the right time.

My wonderful fiancé was the successful owner and operator of several well-to-do restaurants all over Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. He spent a lot of time in meetings going over profits and losses, supply problems, employee issues, managerial topics, remodeling ideas, insurance and tax dealings, and so on. He had to travel a lot too, visiting all his holdings' locations to check up personally on how things were progressing or not progressing. He'd been doing it long enough that he pretty much had it down to a science.

As far as I knew—for Ray shared all his business plans and news with me—he was only having problems with two out of the twenty restaurants he owned. Not bad, in my opinion. He really kept on top of things and had the uncanny ability to pick managers who were both trustworthy and competent. The minute a manager was found lacking, he or she was history and a new one was chosen as a replacement.

After dinner, Ray asked me if I'd like to go for a short walk. He really wanted to spend some time with me, and he could tell that I needed to get outside for awhile again. We took a leisurely stroll out back through his hedges and gardens. We ended up down by the river, however, near the swamp lands. It was beautiful this time of the day, just as the sun was starting to set; all the greens were magnified, more vibrant. It was quite humid, but I didn't mind tonight.

"So, how ya feeling, Abs?" he casually started a conversation.

"Good. Much better," I replied with a smile. "It was nice to go and hang out with the girls today. It was just what I needed."

"I'm glad that it perked you up," Ray told me, pulling me closer to his side as we walked.

"I have been kinda saggy lately, huh."

"Just a little, but not that I blame you, sweetheart."

I leaned in against him as we meandered down the river bank, savoring his solidness, his strength. He was what I needed. Why I was being even remotely tempted by a snake-in-the-grass like Valen Gallier, I didn't know. Ray was my rock, my pillar, my safe harbor. He loved me and treated me accordingly. I hoped I treated Ray as well as he treated me.

When I'd first gotten home from lunch, I couldn't wait to try and talk him into going on the double date with Beth, but right now I was thinking about backing out of it. It didn't feel right now that I was with Ray, having him by my side. I still had one dilemma though. I was starting to worry about Beth. If Valen flirted with me in the flower shop, at the hospital, and now out in front of the bar and grill, how many other women did he do that with behind Beth's back? It angered me. Maybe I needed to go this weekend to see how Valen acted around her for a longer time period, and maybe I could gather some evidence to warn her off of guys like him.

This was where Ray's advice might come in handy. So I asked, "Can I run something past you, Ray?" I drew away from him and pulled us toward a big, fallen down tree trunk. It was perfect for a bench to sit on.

"Sure, Abs. What's on that mind of yours?" Ray replied, easily following me to the tree trunk. He sat down with me, our knees touching.

This wasn't exactly the way I had planned this talk, but this might just be that much better, for both of us. This way I could be more upfront and honest with him. "Do you remember the guy from the flower shop? The one who carried me to your car?"

I could tell Ray did by the way his jaw clenched. "Yeah. Why?" he questioned me hesitantly.

I took his hands in mine, trying to be soothing. "I found out today that Beth has been dating him for about a month now."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ray exclaimed, astonished.

I smiled at him again. "That's exactly what I thought when Beth announced it at lunch. I almost choked to death on a piece of shrimp, I was so shocked. The world seems to be a very small place apparently."

"I don't like that guy, Abby," Ray then said bluntly, confirming what I'd thought. "He's too smooth and too slick. There's something that's just not right about him. I'd worry about Beth too. She can do so much better than the likes of him."

"I totally agree with you, honey," I said, scooting closer to him and squeezing his hands. "But this is Beth's first real relationship with a guy in a long time. You should have seen her talking about him at lunch, Ray. She was so animated, and her eyes were all lit up. She's head-over-heels for him. She's not thinking clearly, at all. I get the sense that he's something of a womanizer, and that she's just another conquest to him. I'm kind of concerned about it."

"I got that impression about him in the way he was with you at the flower shop," Ray admitted to me. "He was way too friendly for my tastes, like his helpfulness was all a show. Do you know what I mean?"

"Oh, yeah. I sure felt his flirtatious nature more at the hospital than the flower shop because I was more with it. He also showed up after lunch to take Beth for a ride on his bullet bike. He let the flirt fly then too," I said, giving Ray full disclosure.

Ray's eyes went wide, and then he narrowed them. "Is that another coincidence?"

"I don't know," I hedged, not liking what Ray was implying; it was too scary, "but thank God Beth didn't seem to notice. She would be so hurt."

Ray let go of one of my hands so he could slide an arm around my waist and draw me even closer. I snuggled into him, my head resting on his shoulder. "I can't blame a man for taking a shine to you. You're a golden sunrise, Abs." He then kissed the top of my head. "But I don't like the idea that he might have a fixation on you or something. He's a creep. A really _big _creep."

"Why, Raymond Ferris, are you jealous?" I couldn't help but tease.

"Not usually, especially with you, because I know how strong our feelings are for one another, but there's something off about this guy that sets me on edge," Ray told me.

"I'm not arguing with you, Ray," I sighed. "I get a weird vibe from him too, each time I see him." _Although, it isn't exactly a creepy vibe as it is some kind of strange magnetism, _I thought. I wasn't going to say that to Ray, however. I couldn't confess that part to him; it was ridiculous and unfounded anyway.

I shifted to look at Ray. As I gazed into his calming, hazel-green eyes, I decided to test the waters about the double date. Not for my sake anymore, but for Beth's. At least that was the justification I was feeding myself. "All of which brings me to my next topic," I started out tentatively. "Beth and Valen want us to go on a double date with them this weekend, if it's possible."

Ray immediately started to protest, so I stopped his interruption by putting one of my petite hands over his mouth to silence him. He fought me for a moment, but then just looked at me. "I know, I know," I said quickly. "It's probably a really bad, even a terrible idea, Ray. I know. We probably shouldn't go and should say no."

"You got that right," Ray mumbled though my hand, which caused me to grin at him.

"But," I added, "this is_ Beth_ we're talking about. I'm feeling this great need to not only be there to support her, but maybe to protect her. Not physically, but emotionally. Does that make sense?"

I removed my hand from Ray's mouth now that I had said my piece. "Yes it does," he said hurriedly, "but I have two objections. First, I don't feel like it would be a good idea for you to overtax yourself like that. And, second, I don't feel very comfortable with the thought of your being anywhere near Gallier."

I knew Ray was right on so many levels, and I had seen both of his points coming. It just made me appreciate him all the more, but I had to find a way around them. Beth was going to need me. _Are you sure that's the real and true reason? _a little voice in my head asked me. Of course it was. _Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with yourself? _the voice continued. Okay, maybe it did, a little.

"I hear what you're saying, Ray," I agreed, "and I don't doubt your reasoning, but it would really mean a lot to me to be able to watch over Beth. We only have to go on one double date with her and Valen. She wants to have him meet her friends and share this new experience with us, besides getting our impressions of him. I really think it's important to her that we go."

Ray looked at me skeptically. "What do they want to go do?" he then asked. "Does it have to be this weekend?"

I took a deep breath and quietly said, "They wanted us to go to dinner, and then go dancing with them. It seemed urgent to do it sooner rather than later."

To my surprise, Ray laughed. "I should have known, Abigail Laroche."

"Know what?" I asked, swatting playfully at him for laughing at me.

"You'll find _any _excuse to go dancing, sweetheart," he teased me with another laugh.

I couldn't help but laugh too, for it _was_ true. Ray really did know me well. "Okay, I'll admit that's a strong part of the appeal for me, but I do also genuinely want to help Beth and be there for her. She could be in for some real heartbreak, if Valen turns out to be what we've both concluded that he is."

"Do you think it's wise to be going dancing after having been so ill, Abby?" Ray then asked, turning serious again.

I had felt this objection coming on too. "I just want to go out, Ray. I don't have to dance all night long or anything. A dance or two would be enough. I don't want this set back with my health to become permanent. I need to feel normal."

"Even if things aren't?" he questioned. When I frowned he sighed. "I understand, sweetheart, but maybe you need to be a little more patient with all of what's happening. Let the doctors figure things out and get a handle on this for you first. You don't need to rush things."

Again, I knew that Ray was right, but for some reason I was going to be stubborn about this. "What if the results come back and there is really something wrong with me? I feel like I need to go out and enjoy life while I can."

Ray turned me around to face him directly. "I don't want to hear you talk like that," he said forcefully, taking my face in his hands. "Don't jump to conclusions when we don't have all the facts, honey. It'll be okay."

He sounded so sure, but the fear I'd been hiding all day was starting to bubble to the surface. "I'm just scared, Ray. Really scared." There, I had finally admitted it. "I've been trying to make out wedding invitations these last few days, finalize the cake order, and work things out with Amelia for all the bridesmaid stuff, but the whole time I was doing it I kept thinking that maybe I'm planning this all for nothing."

Ray started rubbing soothing circles across my cheeks with his thumbs to calm me down. "Shhh, Abs. Don't even go there. So far I've seen no need to postpone or cancel the wedding. We _will_ get married, Abby, and live a long, happy life together, okay? Let's just take things one day at a time right now."

I enjoyed the soft touch of his large hands, and closed my eyes, giving into the nice feeling. "Could we go with Beth and Valen for just a little while, so I don't go stir crazy, and so that we can have Beth's back? I'll go home the second I start to feel funny, if I even do," I begged.

"A—b—b—y," Ray drew out my name, "the doctor has basically suspended you from work. How can you justify going out dancing, yet you can't go to work?"

_Crap on toast, Ray's good, _I cursed in my mind. I sagged against him in defeat. Again, he was right, and I didn't have a good come back this time. He'd won. I finally said it out loud. "You're right, Ray." It came out as more of a sob than I had intended it to.

"Sweetheart, oh Abby," he said gently gathering more fully into his arms. "I'm so sorry about all of this. I wish I could make it all better for you."

I clung to him and just let him hold me for a very long time. "I'm sorry to do this to you, Ray," I snuffled out.

"Oh, shhh," he cooed. "Don't worry about me, honey. I'm fine. I can handle this. I'm here for you.

"But this is not fair to you," I whined, starting to feel sorry for myself and guilty for what I thought I was doing to Ray.

"Stop it, Abby," he commanded lovingly. "We'll get through this together, okay? We've been friends a long time. I love you more than ever now, and I won't abandon you. I'm not worried about me, only you."

"I don't deserve someone like you," I said, really feeling low.

"Hush, Abby," Ray told me sternly. "It's _I_ that don't deserve _you_. Just relax and stop looking at the glass half empty. Let's go ahead and try to go on the double date with Beth and the creep she's dating. If it really means that much to you, we'll go."

"I thought you didn't like the idea?" I queried, stunned. I looked up at him.

"I don't," he confessed, "but you need it. That's as plain as the nose on my face. If we go, there _will_ be conditions to protect your health, however."

I just blinked at him for a while. Tears and emotional upset were not things Ray fell for—not that I was trying to pull one over on him. I'd truly given up on trying to convince him to go on the double date. Somehow when all the buried emotion hit me, it spilled out and made Ray feel bad for me. It was probably because it was genuine and not just me being a manipulative bitch.

"It's not _that _important, Ray," I then backpedaled. "I know it's not the smartest thing to do."

"No, it's probably not," he agreed, "but it's what you need. I'll do anything for you, Abs. You know that. We'll give it a try and see what happens."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks, Ray," I said hugging him fiercely. "I would do anything for you too, you know that, right?"

"Except using your head and taking better care of yourself," he half joked.

"I'm trying to be good. I really am, but it's not easy when you're me," I teased back.

He laughed at me, and then kissed me soundly on the mouth. The kiss started out as a sweet one, both of us wanting to express just how deeply we felt. Then Ray turned it into something more, teasing me with short kissed interspersed with long, passionate ones. Each taste of him left me hungry for more. I slid my arms up his back, running my hands though his short, sandy brown hair. He then trailed kissed down my chin and neck, coming back up to reclaim my mouth.

Gradually, he relented, finally resting his forehead against mine. I was breathing heavily, and so was he. I caught the flames in his eyes as he pulled back to look at me. I continued to run my fingers through his thick hair. I'm sure the passion in my eyes mirrored what I was seeing in his. I suddenly felt very tired, despite the state of my hormones.

I think I even yawned, for Ray said, "It looks like it's someone's bedtime."

I nipped Ray's bottom lip with my teeth. "That could be fun," I told him playfully.

He laughed throatily. "That's not what I meant. Although," he concluded, "you have a point." Ray picked me up into his arms and started carrying me back up to the house. "If you can make it up to our bedroom without falling asleep, we can see just how much fun we can have."

I grinned back at him, nibbling at his lips again; this time more slowly. I heard Ray moan quietly as he carried me. "Deal," I whispered seductively.

Things didn't turn out as planned, however, because once we reached the gardens, I felt my head start to drop with fatigue. After that I was vaguely aware of seeing the back veranda, but that was about it. My memory beyond that was not there. I must have passed out.

* * *

I was running, running for my life. Sharp and scraggly branches tore at my nightgown and my skin as I ran. Leaves slapped me hard in the face and chest. My eyes stung and burned as sweat poured into them. The wind whistled passed me, causing me to shiver. I could hear my pursuer crashing through the foliage behind me, along with harsh growling and the occasional roar.

I knew that I had to keep going, I had to stay out ahead of whatever it was that was chasing me, for I knew that if it caught me—. My heart was pounding inside my ribcage, blood was rushing in my ears, and fear mixed with adrenaline was flooding through my body. The ground was harsh on my bare feet as I ran, biting and cutting at them. The wind kept whipping my hair into my eyes, forcing me to continually push it way so I could see.

I couldn't see much, for it was the dead of night. Shadows haunted everything. The moon was up there somewhere, but its light and the light of the stars were obscured by black clouds. It smelled moist and earthy to my nose. I had no idea where I was; the terrain was all foreign. It had to be a forest or a jungle of some kind. All I knew was that I was terrified, fleeing some horrible monster behind me.

Then I saw Ray beckoning me toward him from up on a hillside, as the clouds revealed the almost-full moon. I scrambled to him, stumbling, and falling. I skinned my knee and cried out in pain as the ground scraped across my flesh. I saw Ray race down the hillside, through trees, ferns, and passed rocks and brush. I tried to shout at him, warn him of the dangerous creature chasing me, but I couldn't catch my breath.

As Ray was coming towards me, almost to me, he was struck by something massive and black. There was a blood-chilling roar and a wild snarl. I watched in horror as Ray was torn limb from limb; blood, tissue, and organs spraying everywhere. My heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest as I witnessed my beloved's death. I screamed. Time seemed to slow down, sound disappeared, and the world seemed to tilt on me as if the bottom of it had fallen out. It was like I was there and not there at the same time.

Then the beast was gone, as quickly as it had appeared, back into the jungle before I could react. I couldn't look at Ray anymore. What was left of him wasn't a human being. Pieces of him were strewn up and down the hillside. Blood and guts spattered on the trunks of trees, on leaves, across the bushes and the rocks. Blood also pooled in places on the ground. I retched.

All I could do was lay there. I was motionless for a long time. I started to weep, then sob, and then wail. Ray was dead, slaughtered. He was gone. Some hellish monster had killed him and taken him from me. It was more than I could bear.

"It's all your fault, you know," a low, feminine voice told me. It seemed to be coming at me from all directions at once, totally surrounding me, but impossible to pinpoint. "Ray's dead because of _YOU_!" it then thundered.

"What?" I cried. "Why?"

The voice didn't answer me. It just kept blaming me. "_YOU_ did this! Ray's blood is on _YOUR_ hands!"

"It can't be! What did I do?" I found myself screaming back in disbelief.

"You are death to people like him! You are _DEATH!"_

"Who are you?" I demanded, forcing myself to my feet in anger. "How dare you!"

Then a form started making its way towards me from deep within the blackness of the trees that were thick up at the top of the hill. It closed the distance between us with agonizing slowness, pulling at the edges of my reason and sanity. As the form drew nearer, I noticed that whoever it was, they were not a big person; they were short and petite. The moon stepped out from behind another dark cloud, allowing me to see that the person had long, honey-blond hair blowing back behind her in the breeze. The woman was completely naked, but covered in blood. I felt myself gag and tasted bile in my throat.

The closer she got the more I could see. The blood covered her face, dripping off her chin. When she grinned evilly, I could see that blood also stained her teeth. Then I realized two things almost simultaneously: one, the blood covering her and dripping from her was Ray's, and two, she looked just like me. I was awash with new horror and utter shock. My legs gave way, and I fell back to the ground. I started shaking and couldn't stop. My stomach lurched and churned. My head pounded. I couldn't breathe; it was like I had been punched in the gut.

When I found my voice, I screamed, "NO!" as loud as I could. "Nooooooooo!"

* * *

"Abby, wake up, honey! Come on, wake up!" I heard Ray saying urgently. He was shaking me roughly to force me into consciousness.

Once I saw his face, all concerned and worried, I started to cry, all out sobbing. "Oh, Ray!" I cried out hoarsely. I grabbed him and held on tightly.

"It's okay. It's okay," he cooed, rocking me. "It was just a dream. You're safe now."

I could feel that I was drenched in sweat. I couldn't stop crying. I was so relieved that what I had witnessed hadn't been real. That Ray was alive and warm in my arms. That he was hugging me, holding me close. That nightmare had been the worst one yet. I was just emotionally rung out.

I could smell Ray's comforting sandalwood smell as I snuggled into him. He hadn't worn a shirt to bed, and my face rested soothingly against his bare chest. He had a nice, broad chest, thick with muscle. His chest was hairy, but I loved his chest hair. I liked to run my hands through it when I would play across his chest with my fingers. It was just so him and so masculine to me.

Finally, a long time later, my sobs let up, and I quietly let Ray rock and sooth me. He rubbed my back, stroked my cheek, patted my head, and he ran his fingers up and down my arms in feather-light touches.

"Thanks," I croaked out. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, Abs," he replied. "I'm getting use to you thrashing around at night now," he lightly joked.

"What's wrong with me?" I suddenly wailed, a fresh need to cry coming over me again. "Why am I having these night terrors?"

Ray held me tighter, rocking me again. "Maybe whatever's throwing your body off, is affecting your ability to sleep as well," Ray suggested calmly.

"You mean like my subconscious knows that something isn't right internally, and it's agitating my mind?" I asked looking up at him from his chest.

"Most likely," Ray told me. "Once the doctors figure out what the root problem is, they can probably treat the nightmares too."

"God, I hope so, Ray. God, I hope so, because I can't take much more of this."

"It's hard on both of us. I hate to see you suffer so much. The doctors _will _come up with a solution. They have too."

TBC…

* * *

Let me know what you think. How did this chapter hit you? Where you able to get into the moment at the end?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** This chapter deals with Abby and Ray's double date with Beth and Valen. It reveals some of Valen's background and some of Abby's and Ray's. Also, Valen will make his move on Abby at the end of the chapter. (Wriggles eyebrows)

**Rated T:** For language and romantic content.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Beth called me Saturday afternoon in a near panic. It seemed nothing she had to wear was just right for our double date that evening. She wanted to come over and borrow something from my wardrobe. I tended to be a little bit a of a clothes horse. I don't think I was naturally that way, but when Ray offered to buy me clothes I wasn't about to turn him down either. I told her to stop by and take her pick. I also told her I'd help her with her hairdo. That seemed to calm her down and return her mild-mannered personality.

It took a while, but she finally found a dress of mine that she liked. It was a fairly new one; I think I'd worn it once since I'd gotten it. It was a confection of pure silk with a pert turquoise and mahogany paisley print. It fell from adjustable crisscross spaghetti straps to an Empire bodice embellished with rattan-textured leather banding. It hit Beth right above her knees. She looked slim and very sexy. Valen would be drooling over her for sure. She also borrowed some turquoise heels and hooped earrings of mine to complete the outfit. I put her lovely brunette hair up in a French twist with a few whips of hair to frame her heart-shaped face.

I chose a Larkspur flower dress. It fell down to my feet, but flowed over my body like water with a nice, long slit up the left side. It cascaded in an overlay of frothy blues and greens with a scooping neck. It was a dress of scalloped hems creating a swirling of complimentary blue, greens, reds, and purples. I felt sexy, yet elegant and modest. It reminded me of something a fairy princess would wear in one of those fantasy movies. Ray would eat his heart out. I picked some blue heels to complete my outfit. I also found some Aurora crystal, dangly earrings to wear. I pulled the sides of my hair up in an Aurora crystal clip, and then curled my hair into medium-sized ringlets.

It was so much fun to dress up with Beth. We laughed and enjoyed each other's company. It had been a while since just Beth and I had had any girl time together. She talked a lot about Valen, which I tried to be supportive of, but really didn't want to hear. She also talked a lot about her latest tours; all the funny people she meet and all the strange things they did.

We were going to _Diamant Dans Le Rugueux_,a new dinner club down on Bourbon Street. Ray had heard that the food was decent and the dancing out of this world. I was so excited I almost couldn't stand it. After the last few nights of nightmare plagued sleep, I was ready to go do something fun to cast off my fears and worries for a few hours. I could go act like a normal person, even if it was for just a short time.

"You girls ready?" Ray hollered up the stairs. "Beth's date should be here any minute."

"We'll be right down, Ray," I called back. "Give us just a minute or two more."

"Do you have some perfume?" Beth asked me as she made the last adjustments to her outfit and checked her makeup.

"Sure, take your pick," I told her, pointing to the shelf to our left in the bathroom. I was finishing putting on some deep red lipstick.

"What are you wearing that smells so good?" she asked.

"Gloria Vanderbilt," I told her. "It's kind of an oriental floral mixture. It's got carnation, mimosa, rose, and some other spicy oriental florals blended into it."

"Kay, I'll chose something different just so we don't have the same smell," Beth reasoned. "Even though I'll have to definitely go out and buy some of what you're wearing."

I smiled at her knowing how nervous she was about tonight. She wanted me to be impressed with Valen. She wanted Ray to be impressed with Valen too. Somehow she thought it would validate her if we approved. I was not looking forward to disappointing her, but Ray and I'd have to tell her the truth sooner or later. I had warned Ray not to say anything about having already met Valen, and he'd agreed that for now, that was best kept just between us.

The door bell rang at that moment, and I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. Valen was here. For some reason, all of a sudden, I was as nervous as Beth. _You have nothing to prove to the dirt bag, _I chided myself. _You're going with Ray and have no need to worry what Valen thinks about you._

I stalled for a minute to let Beth go out first and wow her man. I didn't want her to think that I was trying to compete with her in any way. I heard the men comment on what stunning a sight she was. I paced back and forth in the hallway, hesitant to make my appearance. Part of me really didn't want to face Valen again. He was proving to be a major complication in Ray's and my life. He shouldn't have been, but I had to admit that deep down I thought he was.

"Abs, you coming?" I heard Ray call to me.

"Here goes nothing," I said out loud to myself. "Just put him out of your mind and concentrate on enjoying getting out of the house."

I appeared on the top of the main staircase and started to walk down. I made myself look only at Ray. I didn't want to catch any of the other man's reaction to how I looked tonight. Ray's face lit up, and he smiled widely at me. His eyes sparked with a familiar warmth. He thought I looked smashing. He was dressed in neatly pressed, tan Dockers and a navy blue Polo shirt with a tan sports coat over the top. He was a handsome and debonair sight.

"Wow, Abby, you look beautiful," Ray informed me as I made it to his side. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Why thank you, Ray," I said softly as I blushed.

I finally dared a glance at Valen and Beth. Beth was smiling kindly at me. To say Valen was staring at me was an understatement. It felt like he was drinking me in. His eyes were roving over every inch of my body. I swallowed hard. His eyes meet mine for a brief moment, but the look in his eyes was so full of heat that I quickly had to look away. I don't think I'd ever seen a man look at me that way before — not even Ray. It was strange, but kind of gratifying in a way. He was dressed in black dress pants and an olive green, button down, dress shirt. Even though his eyes were so blue most of the time, they tended to pick up the shade of his shirt, so tonight they looked greener than usual. He had on a black dress jacket as well. I had to admit he looked good, hot even.

"That otherworldly look suits you, Abigail," Valen said politely.

Beth nodded her head in agreement. "That's a good way to describe it," she said. "Just like you described me as a picturesque Gypsy princess."

"Thanks guys," I said blushing. "We did work hard on our outfits."

"Yes, we did," Beth said, supporting me.

"So we'll meet you guys there?" Ray asked, ushering us out the front door.

"Actually, we were hoping to bum a ride with you two," Valen said to my surprise. When Ray looked at him quizzically, Valen elaborated. "I came on my bike. I don't want to ruin all of Beth's hard work by taking her to the club on the bike."

"What about taking Beth's car?" I butted in, not really wanting to ride in the same car with Valen.

"You know what parking's like on Bourbon and the adjacent side streets on the weekend, Abs," Beth came back with. "We figured it'd be easier just to take one car. Is that okay with you, Ray?"

I could tell that it wasn't okay with him, but he put up a good front. "Sure thing," he said lightly. "That's good thinking Beth. The more the merrier, right?"

"Excellent. Thank you, Raymond," Valen said with a smug smile.

"No problem" Ray mumbled back, heading over to the garage to go get his Audi A6 L sedan.

Once Ray was gone, Valen strategically placed himself between Beth and me, so he was closer to me than before. "I'm glad that you felt up to going tonight, Abigail," he said casually and quietly, but he bounced on the balls of his feet a little. "Beth has really been looking forward to this."

_Something tells me you have too, you little shit, _I wanted to say, but stopped myself. "Me too. I would never want to disappoint _Beth_," I stressed, looking him in the eye to make my point. "We all need the night out, I think."

"I'll make sure to enjoy it," he said, looking coyly at me.

I just gave him a "whatever" look. Luckily, Ray pulled up in his silver car, halting me from having to make any further comment. I jumped in the front passenger seat, letting Beth and Valen sit in the back together. Valen was gentleman enough to open the door for Beth and let her get situated before he came around to the other side of the car and got in himself.

Beth worked at keeping up a light conversation as we drove into the city. She was the kind of person that was uncomfortable with too much silence. She would always find something to talk about. Somehow she had been able to get Ray and Valen talking about motorcycles, which couldn't have been better. Getting Ray to talk with Valen was an important part of tonight, for both Beth and me. This way, they could talk about a shared interest—motorcycles —with equal enthusiasm. It also kept Valen's attention off of me because it had been wandering over to me a little too frequently, I thought.

Maybe I was being paranoid, or maybe I was being vain, but I really didn't think so. Valen was sitting in the back seat, behind Ray, who was in the driver's position. Beth sat behind me on the passenger's side. Even though Valen was not right behind me, he seemed to have positioned himself at just the right angle diagonally from me so that he could view me fully. Each time I glanced back to talk to Beth, I noticed him watching me intently. He didn't try to look away when I caught him in the act either. He'd just offer me one of his smug half-smiles, a wicked gleam in his eyes. I pretended to totally ignore him, trying to concentrate on all the things Beth was saying to me.

Ray pulled onto Bourbon Street and the traffic was hellish. He decided to spend the extra money and go for valet parking at the club. After agonizing slowness, we arrived and climbed out of the Audi. I could hear the thumping of the beat of the music out in the street. As we, approached the doorman, Ray announced that we had a reservation. The big and burley bouncer checked his list, glanced at us, and then nodded that we could go in.

The music's volume got much louder once we were inside, but being able to hear the melody now along with the bass beat was exciting to me. I could already feel my body start to want to move to the groove. My feet tapped and my hips swayed a little. Tonight the club was playing a mixture of everything from forties swing to nineties grunge and all the styles in between and beyond. The club was called the Diamond in the Rough in English, and diamonds and crystals were its central theme.

The main color themes reflected ice blue, lavender, and crystalline white. The lighting covered the club in a cool, ice blue coloring. The lights dangled from the ceiling in small cubed forms. The club was divided into three tiered floors; the bottom two were for dancing, and the top floor was for dining. The top floor was curved around in an L-shape so that the patrons dining could watch the patrons dancing. A sparkling, crystalline chandelier was the center of each floor, glimmering like gemstones. There were also beautiful tapestries and crystalline figures dotting the landscape, creating the perfect surreal atmosphere.

Ray led us all through the crowd to an elevator. When we got to the third floor, a hostess greeted us in a dazzling white dress covered in rhinestones. Once Ray identified our party, the perky blonde showed us to our table. The dining room was encased with soundproof glass to keep out the harshness of the raw music. The music was piped in through an elaborate sound system, at a much lower decibel level.

The dining area consisted of booths and tables done in dark mahogany woods. The hostess led us back to a cozy booth halfway back into the building. It was located up close to one of the windows looking down on the excited action out on the dance floors.

"Sweet view," Valen whistled as we started to sit down.

"Yeah, being a successful restaurant owner has some perks," Ray commented, sliding into the booth.

Ray had slid into our booth first, then me, then Beth, and then Valen. I was relieved to be sitting next Beth and not Valen. As we fanned out a little in the curved, horseshoe-shaped booth, I found that although I was not sitting next to him, I was sitting pretty much right across from him. _Crap on toast, _I cursed in my mind. _Now I'm going to have to look at him all through dinner._ Not that he wasn't nice to look at; the problem was that he _was_ nice to look at. I scooted closer to Ray, as if for protection.

A waitress came over with menus and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Beth got a Long Island ice tea, Ray asked for Scotch on the Rocks, and Valen asked for Kentucky Bourbon. I decided to go with a Screwdriver, minus the alcohol, so it was basically orange juice. I was a teetotaler; I didn't drink alcohol. Besides, having been sick, drinking probably wasn't a good idea anyway.

"You the designated driver?" Valen asked after hearing my order.

Beth answered for me, bless her heart. "Oh Abby never drinks. It doesn't agree with her."

"Really? Why not?" Valen pressed, looking directly at me.

"I don't like the feeling it gives me," I said honestly. "I don't like being out of control of myself."

"Too bad," he said. "I'd bet you'd be a fun drunk. Beth is." To which Beth giggled and blushed.

"Abby's much more fun sober," Ray defended me. "So Valen," he then quickly changed topics, "tell us about yourself. We all know each other pretty well, but you're the newcomer. What's your story?"

Now it was Valen's turn to look uncomfortable. He played with his shirt collar for a minute, and then he leaned back, settling into the booth. "Well, there's a lot to tell," he said, turning smug and arrogant again. "Where would you like me to start?"

"What's your family like?" I found myself asking without thinking.

He tilted his head a little to the side, looking at me. "I'm afraid I don't have much of one. My mother abandoned me when I was a baby, and my father died before I even found out who he was. I bounced around from foster home to foster home, until I was eighteen and could make my own way."

"Oh," was all I could think of to say, dropping my menu in my hands a bit. His background was sadder than I'd imagined.

"Not worries, Abigail," he told me. "I've come to terms with everything, found ways to make my own mark in the world. Learned who I can count on and who I can't. Despite it all, I'm pretty stable. I think," he added jokingly at the end, looking through his menu.

Beth jumped in. "You know the value of hard work. You've had to stretch yourself and push yourself to achieve your goals. You take nothing for granted, since you've known what it's cost you to get it. You've learned a lot through all of your life experiences. You've found the strength to overcome some big obstacles. You don't give up easily. I think you're more than stable, love."

"Thank you, Beth," Valen said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly as our drinks arrived. "You're definitely one of the ones I can count on."

She smiled brightly at him. "You're welcome," she replied. "You do have someone who's like family though," she reminded him. "There's Female."

Beth pronounced the name like tamale or tomalley. I looked at Valen, curious now. "Who's Female?" I asked.

"A very old and wise woman who keeps me out of trouble, or at least, she tries to," Valen explained with a coy grin.

"Female is a very unusual name," Ray threw out.

"She's what some would consider Creole, a blending of different races," Valen said, sipping his Bourbon and savoring it, still looking at his menu. "She was an orphaned child with no one to name her. So they just put on her birth certificate, child—female, in place of her name. The woman who raised her, didn't speak very good English, and took the mark of female as her name, pronouncing it femolly."

I was fascinated. "So how did you end up meeting Female?" I queried, forgetting my menu for the moment.

"She was actually a friend of my late father's," Valen leaned forward, elbows on the table, after putting his menu down. "She was a housekeeper for him before he died. While I was searching for him, I found her. Learning that I was his son, she just took me under her wing, like a mother hen."

"I'm glad that you have someone like that in your life," I said, really meaning it. Everyone had to have a best friend or mother/father figure to look up to. Then I asked, "How did your father die? If you don't mind me asking."

Valen smiled his little half-smile at me. "I don't mind any of your questions," he informed me. It was indicating both Ray and me with what he said, but somehow I felt he was speaking just to me. "He was shot. Some kind of hunting accident, or so they say."

"Or so they say?" Ray parroted. "You don't think that's what happened?"

"I've heard that it could've been a jealous lover's friend that set it up so he'd be killed," Valen said more quietly, taking another sip of Bourbon, "but there's no real proof. The police have been sketchy about all of it. So I really don't know what to believe happened to him."

The waitress came to take our order, but of course none was us were ready. We stopped the conversation long enough to read through the menu quickly and pick something to eat. I decided on some veal parmesan, Ray some grilled salmon, Beth three-cheese penne pasta, and Valen got prime rib, rare. Once we had placed our order the conversation resumed.

"Has Female been able to shed any light on your father's death for you?" I asked next, not being able to help myself.

Beth answered instead of Valen. "About that time, Female had some immigration issues and went to jail until they were resolved, instead of being deported. They thought she had falsified papers. It was found she had done nothing wrong, but of course the damage had been done. She isn't sure what really happened to Valen's father."

"And have you been able to track down your mother?" I then asked, suddenly really sucked in. _What if my biological family drama is like this? Do I really want to know? How did I end up in a loving home, and Valen had to suffer without one?_

"She died a few years ago, in a drunk driving accident," Valen told us. "She would never answer any of my correspondence or respond to any of my attempts to contact her. I finally gave up. Then I heard that she had passed away."

My heart went out to him suddenly. "I'm so sorry," I whispered, taking a long drink of my non-alcoholic Screwdriver to cover up the swell of emotion I was feeling. I knew what it was like, being an orphan, and was just realizing how lucky I had been to be adopted by the family I had been.

"Don't be," Valen said casually, blowing it off. "I'm not. They couldn't have that peachy of people to have left me on my own anyway." His manner was I-don't-care, but something told me that he cared much more than he was letting on.

"Tell us how you got into fixing up classic cars and bikes," Ray then moved us to a different topic. He seemed uncomfortable to me, about the sympathy Valen was eliciting from Beth and I — or more likely from me.

Valen addressed all of us, but his gaze lingered with mine the longest when he spoke. "I've always been good with my hands. Good manual dexterity. I've also always know how things work, internally. I can take something apart and put it back together again, better than it was originally. I've been that way from since I can remember. Couple that with mechanics and machine enthusiasts' willingness to teach me their trades and I've become an expert. I really know how to work things over, restoring wholeness and beauty."

I tried not to gulp. There were so many double meanings in all that he just said, it had my head spinning. I glanced at Ray and could tell he'd caught them too. He wasn't happy. He was frowning and narrowing his eyes. Beth— little innocent Beth— looked like she had missed it all. _What is this man doing? Has he fixated on me for some reason like Ray thinks? Am I a new and more difficult challenge for him to conquer because I'm engaged? Why I'm I finding him intriguing, when I should be wary of him?_

"He's restoring an old Harley for me," Beth announced. "He's making special modifications so someone like me, all girly, you know, can handle it." She was so excited. She was glowing — no radiating.

_Oh Beth…, _I thought sadly. "That sounds like fun, Beth," I said out loud instead, totally faking my own excitement.

"What else would you like you know?" Valen asked, looking at me again, but addressing Ray.

"Are you from New Orleans?" Ray continued his interrogation.

"Not originally, no," Valen answered with another sly grin. "I've lived all over. My importing and exporting business allows me to travel the world, seeing new and mysterious places all the time."

"Have any schooling under your belt?" Ray asked, somewhat skeptically.

"I have a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from Miami-Dade College," Valen said smoothly. "In my first year of business I was able to pay off all my student loans. The government grants I was able to secure, of course, helped too."

He was quite the self-made man, a lot like Ray, expect Ray had had family money backing him part of the way. Then he had had to prove to his family he could do it on his own. I was impressed. Valen wasn't some slouch or opportunist. Like Beth had said, he'd worked hard for what he had.

Our meals arrived then, and we dived in. As we ate, Valen decided to turn things around on us, well me. He started asking me questions. I could feel the tension in Ray rise, his ire pricked. Valen was concentrating on me; no questions came Ray's way.

"So, Abigail—," he started.

"Just Abby or Abs," I informed him. "I'm not a fan of my full name."

Valen laughed. "Abigail is a very classy name. You shouldn't take umbrage with it." Then he asked his question. "So Abby, what is it that you do for a living?"

"I've told him only a little," Beth admitted to me. "I know how you loved to talk about your animals."

Now I laughed, putting my hand on Ray's knee to feel connected to him. "I'm a veterinarian at the Audubon Zoo," I said, around a mouthful of veal.

"Yeah, Beth told me that part," Valen pumped me for more, "but what exactly do you do?"

"You mean what animals do I work with specifically?" I asked in return. At Valen's nod, I told him. "I work with their Amur leopards."

Valen didn't seem shocked or surprised; he seemed very pleased, however. "Aren't they extremely endangered animals?" he asked.

"Yep, that they are," I said, getting a little into teacher mode. Beth smiled at me, used to this. "There are less than forty animals left in the wild. All the poaching and deforestation going on in Russia, Korea, and Northeastern China has obliterated their population. The Audubon Nature Institute and the Audubon Zoo have acquired some for a breeding program. We switch with other zoos around the world every two years for breeding to get more genetic diversity. I oversee their overall health and fitness. I watch over the zoo's other big cats too; the white tigers, the lions, the cheetahs, and so on. When called upon, I can look after most of the other animals, but my studies recently have led me to be more an expert on the large predatory cats."

"And they respond well to you?" Valen asked.

I thought that was an odd question. Usually people asked me how I responded to the big cats. They wondered how I could handle being around such large, predatory animals. "We get along very well, I must say," I said, being prideful. "They're my babies. I love them, and I know they can feel that love. There isn't anything that I wouldn't do for them."

"Amazing," Valen said with real awe in his voice. "That's incredible. Beauty taming the beasts."

I blushed at his compliment. I think I did because his reaction appeared, to me, to be the first genuine one he'd had all night. This reaction was part of the real him. "It just seems to be my calling in life," I murmured.

"How do you feel about your petite, little fiancé putting herself in harm's way every day with wild animals?" Valen then directed his question at Ray.

Ray wasn't expecting this. He looked perplexed with his brow furrowed. "Uh…I've seen how Abby handles herself around them. She's very competent. Always has been. That's how we met actually, because of an animal," Ray said, recovering and turning it back on Valen. "My beagle, Beau, got hit by a car, and I brought him into the vet hospital where Abby was a veterinary technician. The main doctors were involved in another surgery when I brought Beau in, and couldn't see him right away. It was Abby's quick thinking that stabilized him, until the veterinarians could operate on him. He lived because of my dear, sweet Abby. I saw the talent in her then, and as we became closer and closer friends, I helped her further her career."

"It was Ray's recommendation to a golfing buddy that set me up for an interview at the zoo," I said to Valen.

"Interesting," Valen mumbled, rubbing his upper lip as if in thought.

I finished my meal quickly, for I wanted to get some dancing in and _soon_. So far I had felt fine all of today and this evening. I wanted to shake things up, stop talking, and just enjoy being with Ray. I wanted to forget about Valen and Beth for the moment. I looked over and saw that Ray was about done eating too.

"Let's go dance, Ray," I urged.

He laughed at my exuberance. "Sure, thing, honey," he said, sliding out of the booth and helping me out after him. "We'll see you guys in a little while," he added to the others.

"Oh, we're coming too," Valen announced, grabbing Beth and pulling her out of the booth on the other side, but Ray and I were already out the door and heading down the stairs to the next floor.

Right now the second floor had a more modern style of music playing. Rihanna's _Disturbia _was just starting. It was a song with a good beat. Ray liked the old songs from the seventies and eighties, but I could get him to move. Once my hips started to sway, my shoulders to weave, and my body to rockin', Ray was right there with me. He'd come up behind me and we'd move as one as he slid his arms around my waist. I liked feeling my back against his chest, like he was a solid wall.

A roll of hits that I loved seemed to follow: Pink Floyd's _Another Brick in the Wall _(Class of '99 version), AC/DC's _If You Want Blood (You've Got It)_, Pigeonhed's _Battle Flag _(Lo-Fidelity All-stars Remix), Carrie Underwood's _Cowboy Casanova, _and Madonna's _4 Minutes_. By the time the music changed to something slower, I was out of breath and sweating profusely. Ray was too. My hair had come out of its clip and was running wild down my back. I liked all of the songs that had just played because they all had a primitive and tribal beat to them. I liked the rhythm of a trance beat along with the classic rock sound.

Then Guns 'N Roses _Every Rose Has Its Thorne_ came on, letting us catch our breath. Ray pulled me close and led me slowly across the dance floor. My endorphins were flying. I felt a runner's high. I was so glad to have come and to be able to share this with Ray. The next song was Nat King Cole's _Unforgettable_. Ray kissed me lightly a couple of times as we danced a little more traditionally.

Suddenly, I felt Ray's pocket vibrate; it was his phone. I looked up at him with a disgusted twist to my face. "Really, Ray?" I accused.

He was chagrined. "Sorry, Abs. I only told Rafael to call me if there was an emergency. There must be. Let me run and take the call, and I promise I'll be right back. We probably should call it a night anyway. We've been here a lot longer than I'd planned. I don't want you relapse or anything."

"I'm feeling great, Ray," I argued. "Go call Rafael back. I can dance by myself for a little while. I _will_ hunt you down if you're gone to long though, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed with a boyish grin. "I won't be long. Promise." He hurried out back up to the soundproofed dining room to call Rafael, his Dallas, Texas manager.

Another slow song began playing, this time it was Whitney Houston's _I Will Always Love You. _I decided to head over to the bar and get some water to drink. The bartender almost laughed at me, but gave me a nice and cold bottle of water to drink. I started to look for Beth and Valen to see where they had gotten to. I couldn't find them anywhere, but there were a lot of people in here.

I jumped when Valen appeared next to me out of nowhere. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Yes you did," I called him on his lie.

"Maybe I did," he confessed, looking me up and down. "Somebody's been dancing up a storm."

"That's what I came here to do," I told him, trying to ignore the way his eyes raked my body.

He had lost his black dress jacket and his shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest. His hair was wet with sweat just like Ray's had been. "Where's Beth?" I then asked him.

"She went to the restroom," he answered. "She wasn't feeling well. I think she drank a little too much at dinner."

That worried me. It was my health we were supposed to be watching, not Beth's. I hoped she was all right. "Maybe I should go check on her," I said, turning to find the lady's room.

Valen grabbed my arm, keeping me rooted to the spot. "I have a better idea," he whispered in my ear. "Let's you and I dance while we wait for the others to come back."

"I don't think so," I told him, trying to pull away.

He resisted letting go of me at first, but then he did. "Suit yourself," he said, giving me a heat-filled look.

Even after he let go, I could still feel the hotness of his hand on my arm. Looking into his crystal clear blue-green eyes, I hesitate to leave. I could feel the pull of that magnetism he exuded again. I abruptly wanted to change my mind and dance with him.

The slower music faded and a new song began. It was Christina Aguilera's _Genie in a Bottle_. It was one of my favorites to move to. It had slow and fast temp at the same time. I could dance to it all on my own. I threw my bottle in the garbage and made my way, alone, back out onto the dance floor. I started swaying in time to the music; my hands and arms waving through the air, my hips rocking, and my head weaving back and forth.

In the lines of the song right before the chorus started, I wasn't alone anymore. Valen had come up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He moved right along with me. Swaying his body as I did, weaving, rocking, and pumping, just like me, so we moved as one. My first instinct was to fight him off and walk away, but as the chorus did start, he whipped me around in a series of twists and turns, dipping me, and dragging me back up his body. He repeated the actions several more times, in time with the music. It took my breath away, and I forgot to fight him. It felt natural. It felt right.

Almost unconsciously, I fell into step with him. As the next verse began, Valen turned me back around, my back to his chest. He moved us as one again, swaying, weaving, rocking, and pumping against each other and with each other to the beat. As the chorus began again, he switched back to the fancier moves, sliding me around, turning and twisting me, dipping me, rolling me in and out of his arms. He was a good dancer. He moved gracefully, but with strength and power. I followed all his moves like we'd done them a thousand times before.

My focal point became him. I didn't notice anything else around us. I became lost in our rhythm. Strangely, the words of the song mirrored exactly how I felt. He was rubbing me the right way. He was making a big impression, and I liked what he was doing. It was like he was freeing me, letting me lose control. Then the song ended.

I was facing him when it did, one of my hands touching his bare chest where his shirt was open. My body was tingling all over, like never before. Our eyes met, and I felt a connection within their glassy depths. Something moved inside of me. Something that had been long asleep, waiting for another of its kind to come along. It wanted him, what was inside of him. Our lips were almost touching. He kissed me, tentative at first, then more and more urgently. For one brief moment, I reciprocated. The zinging sensation I experienced was totally new, totally different than ever before. It was like every nerve was on fire.

Then reality came slamming back to me. I could hear the noise of the club again. I ripped myself away from him, and slapped him as hard as I could across his face. "You bastard!" I snarled at him. I turned and ran as fast as I could away from him and back to the safety of Ray.

TBC…

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What are your thoughts on this chapter? Did anyone like how it played out? Please click the review button at the bottom of the screen and let me know. Thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** Here is the aftermath of Abby's dance with Valen.

**Rated T:** For some gore, romantic content, and language.

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**Chapter 5**

I kept bumping into people as I tried to make my way back up to the third floor. Ray had to be up here somewhere on his phone. We still should have had our booth, because we hadn't paid yet, and there was still dessert we could order. It was all part of the dinner and dancing set up. I was shaking from the emotional turmoil of the past few minutes. What had happened between Valen and me defied description.

_What _did_ happen? How could I let myself totally forget where I was and what I was doing? How could I forget who I was doing it with? Why did I dance with him? Why didn't I tell him to get lost the second he tried what he tried? How could I let him kiss me? _Those thoughts buzzed around in my head, like angry bees.

Valen had triggered off sensations and feelings that I'd never conceived of before. I was wild and reckless around him. That wasn't good. He was as bad as a drug or being drunk; I felt _that_ out of control. I shouldn't have been feeling anything like that around him at all. He shouldn't have been a temptation, but he was — a big one. I was in deep trouble. I couldn't see him again. I had to stay away from him.

I thought about sweet Ray, and how much I really _did_ love him. He was my match, my one, true love. _Wasn't he? Of course you idiot! Duh!_ I chided myself. _What were you thinking?_ The problem was I hadn't been. Valen struck when my guard was down. He'd probably been watching for it this whole time. Next time my guard wouldn't be down. _Wait a minute, there won't be a next time!_

I saw Ray sitting in our booth, talking on his cell. _Thank God! _"Ray! Ray!" I practically shouted.

He paused in his conversation with Rafael. "What is it, Abs?" he asked, looking up at me. Then he blanched.

"What, Ray? What's wrong?" I asked, really starting to panic.

"Your eyes, Abby," Ray whispered in a hollow voice. "I've never seen your eyes look like that. Are you okay?"

I was getting rather dizzy suddenly, and I felt abnormally hot. "No, I'm not," I said struggling to breathe normally.

I hurried to the restroom to splash some water on my face and see what was freaking Ray out about my eyes. Ray didn't normally freak out. _What the hell is wrong with me? _Once inside the lady's room, I rushed to the mirror. I had to do a double take, for my eyes were not my eyes at all. They were still green, but the pupils were dilated funny. They were slit vertically, like a cat's. They didn't look real. Pain shot through my abdomen and back, then exploded like fireworks in my head. One minute I was standing in front of the mirror, and the next I was on the cool, tiled floor.

Sometime later, I realized that I was lying in someone's lap. The pants were black, so I knew it wasn't Ray. That meant that it was—, "Valen!" I yelped, trying to sit up. That was a mistake. The restroom walls, floor, and ceiling spun out of control. I had to close my eyes against it all.

"Easy, easy," he said softly. "Just relax. It'll pass in a minute. Just lay here for a bit."

I didn't want to lie in his lap for _any_ length of time. When I tried to sit up again, he forcefully, but gently, made me lie back down. The room spun again, making me want to throw up. _Why is he here and not Ray? Where's my Ray?_

"Let it pass," Valen commanded quietly. "If you don't want to end up back in the emergency room, then do as I say."

He had a point there. I really _didn't_ want to wind up in the hospital again. "Where's Ray?" I demanded, but my voice sounded far away to me. "How long have I been in here?"

"Not too long," Valen informed me. He was dabbing my forehead with a wet paper towel and brushing strands of hair out of my face. "Ray doesn't know that I'm in here with you. He's still sitting in our booth waiting for you to come back, but he did hang up on his phone call."

"What's wrong with me?" I found myself asking, glancing up into his face. There was real concern etched across his features.

"I don't have time to get into details with you about it right now," he hedged. "Let's just say that there are things about your heritage that you don't know about."

I gave him a disbelieving look. "What?"

"Your body's going through a change that's common among our kind of people," he vaguely explained. "I'll tell you more later. We need to get you up on your feet and back out there in better shape."

"What are you talking about? 'Our kind of people?' I'm _nothing_ like _you_," I spat.

"That's the lie that will kill your friend and lover," he said harshly. "Trust me you don't want to experience _that_ horror."

"What?" I said again. I was totally confused, not understanding a thing he was saying to me or why he was saying it.

"Don't worry about any of it now, Abigail," he admonished me. "Just concentrate on breathing deeply for a few minutes."

He put down the damp paper towel and began rubbing my temples with the tips of two of his fingers on each hand. It felt better than I thought it would, relieving the throbbing in my head. He started inhaling and exhaling deeply, until I found that my own breathing was matching his. His eyes claimed mine, and for a moment all I could see were their clear depths. Remarkably, the pain began to subside and the dizziness faded. He slowly and carefully helped me sit up. I was kind of disgusted to be sitting on the restroom floor. I was happily surprised though, when the room didn't spin this time.

"Keep taking deep breaths," he instructed, as his cool hands started to massage the base of my neck.

His touch brought relief to the pain that had been flooding my body. Whatever nerves he was working on, they seemed to be the right ones. I leaned back against him, letting my body relax. I did as he told me, taking in big gulps of air and letting them out slowly. After a few more minutes, I felt semi-normal again.

"Let's see if you can stand now," he suggested, guiding me to my feet.

I swayed a little, unsteady. He wrapped an arm around my waist to support me. I let myself lean into him to keep my balance. He smelled good, I realized; like lime and verbena. His scent seemed to calm me down even more, easing my discomfort and panic. I didn't understand it, but right now I wasn't going to knock it.

A rap came at the door. "Hey, Abby, you okay in there?" It was Ray.

"Tell him you'll be out in just a minute. That you're fine," Valen whispered in my ear.

I did as I was told. "I'm okay, Ray. Just give me a sec, and I'll be out," I hollered slightly.

"You sure?" came Ray's doubtful voice through the door.

"Yeah," I said.

"Okay. I'll wait out here for you. Let me know if I can do anything for you, Abs," Ray offered.

"Yep," was my reply.

Valen had pulled me back against his chest, both arms sliding around my waist, like when we'd been dancing. "Now splash some water on your face and slowly walk out of here. I'll stay until the coast's clear, and then rejoin you at the table. Beth should be back there by now too." I felt him nuzzle my neck, having brushed my hair aside. I shivered as I felt the soft sensation travel down my entire body. It was heavenly.

"Thank you," I found myself saying.

"You're welcome," he again whispered in my ear. "I do owe you an explanation. I won't forget." Then he withdrew his arms from around my waist, but slowly, and making sure he brushed along very inch of me that he could.

I cautiously walked away from him to the restroom door, glancing back hesitantly at him. "Go on," he mouthed, giving me his best sultry look. Strangely, I didn't want to leave. The peace and calm Valen had given me was something I didn't want to lose by walking out the door. He waved me forward, smirking at me. That did it.

Once I was out in the hallway, I started fuming. _Who in the hell does he think he is? Coming in there and being all mysterious healer and I-know-more-than-you-but-won't-tell-you guy. What could he possibly know about where I came from? All he's doing is making an excuse to see me again. Oh, this guy's smooth and slick, just like Ray said. _

I stalked back out to the table, my anger fueling me now. I don't know if I was madder at Valen's manipulation or at my reaction to it. Ray stood up immediately and met me halfway. I noticed Beth was back up here too, just like Valen thought she would be. _How much planning had the scum-sucking dog put into tonight? _I wondered as I assured Ray that I was fine.

"What was that all about?" Ray asked me, guiding me back to our table. He sat down, sliding along around the bend so I could sit on the outside of the horseshoe.

"I don't know. I think you were right about me overexerting myself," I lied, feeling damn guilty.

"But your eyes, Abs?" Ray floundered, looking confused.

"It must have been a trick of the light or something," I lied again. "I didn't see anything wrong with them when I looked in the mirror. I just got a little dizzy and lightheaded, so I just tried to take some deep breaths and splash some water on my face." As I finished, Valen showed back up at the table.

"You doin' all right, sugar?" Beth now asked me in concern. I could tell she was a little drunk, her syllables slurring slightly.

"I'm fine," I continued to lie. "What about you? Valen said you got feeling sick?"

"Yeah, something at dinner just didn't agree with me," she explained, "but I'm recovering now. No worries."

"I think we'd better call it a night," Ray then decided. "I hope you two don't mind going home early."

"With B not feeling so hot, I think going home would probably be a good idea," Valen agreed, acting as if nothing had happened between us, not on the dance floor and not in the restroom.

Ray signaled to our waitress that we were ready to settle up. Both men paid by credit card. Once that was taken care of, we made our way down to wait for the valet to go get Ray's car. I did everything I could to ignore Valen, but I could feel his presence without even looking at him. I was so confused — totally mixed up. Something had changed, but I didn't know what; things felt different somehow. I grabbed Ray's arm for stability, something to ground me to the here and now. I needed something to keep me from having a full on panic attack.

"Abs, you okay?" Ray whispered to me, noticing my manacle-tight grip on his arm. All I could do was shake my head in the negative. My voice was failing me. "Oh, sweetheart, we'll be home soon." Ray knew that something was really wrong, but he downplayed it for the others. I could tell he wanted to spare me the all the questions and smothering concern Beth would have over me, and I think he didn't want either one of us to seem weak in front of Valen. At one point in time, I would've thought that to be a display of macho egotism, but now I was extremely grateful for it.

When Ray's Audi arrived, he kindly helped me into the front seat, before getting in the driver's side and pulling out into the still busy road. Valen helped Beth into the car, before he got in himself. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time; his stare burning a hole right through me. It made me think of him as some kind of predator; someone I had to get away from. I had to get Beth away from him too. I bit my lip the entire way home, trying not to cry. My emotions were in such a spin that I didn't know what to do.

_How can I be so drawn to, yet so repelled by another person? _I found myself thinking. _Valen's a smooth-operating womanizer, but there's something dark and dangerous about him too. He's a classic stalker. Maybe he'd just as easily hurt a woman as try and seduce her. Where did that come from? He's done nothing to harm me, at least not physically. He hasn't threatened my life in anyway, but he terrifies a part of me. On the other hand, maybe he likes torturing people with his mind games, for surely that's what's doing with me. He's playing some kind of sick mind game. He's threatening my life, at least, my life with Ray._

That was a strange thought for me to have too. I had to get control of myself. This wasn't me. I wasn't some wimpy, little, dumb chick in some B-horror movie. I was an accomplished woman, sure of herself and full of confidence. I couldn't let a bastard like Valen do this to me. It would be playing right into his hands, and I wasn't about to give him that satisfaction.

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally got home. I was out of the car and up to the house like a shot. I said some brief goodnights and made the excuse of not feeling well to leave everyone. Once inside Ray's manor, I ran up the stairs to our bedroom, and then into the bathroom where I shut and locked the door. I grabbed the sides of the sink with my hands to steady myself and looked into the mirror. I was a mess; my hair tossed all over the place, my makeup smeared, and my dress all wrinkled. It was then that all my confusion boiled over, and I began to cry. All I'd been through, the nightmares, the hospital, the health scare, the wedding, Valen's conniving schemes, and my inadequacies, all pouring out of me.

I don't know how long I was in there, but I ended up sliding down the tub to the floor, totally consumed by sobs and tears. Ray was suddenly knocking urgently on the bathroom door. "Abby, what's wrong? Are you okay? Let me in, honey."

I'm sure he could hear my uncontrolled emotional breakdown. I couldn't make myself move off the bathroom floor. I was frozen in my turmoil. I was curled up into a ball in the fetal position, just holding myself and crying.

"Abby, come on now. You're really scaring me. You've got to talk to me. Let me in. Open the door. Come on, Abby," Ray was urging.

I still couldn't make myself move. I could hear Ray jiggling the door handle, and then pushing and pulling hard on the door. A few loud bangs, later and he had forced it open, splintering it, knocking it off its hinges. I flinched, but didn't move from my fetal position on the floor by the tub.

"Abby. Abs. Honey. Come here," he cooed, all anger draining from his voice when he saw me huddled on the floor. He pulled me into his arms, sitting down on the bathroom floor beside me. "It's okay. Tell me what's wrong. What's happened?"

I clung to him, sobbing all the harder. My head was pounding, my eyes burning, my nose all stuffed up, and my breath ragged from crying for so long and so hard. I just wanted it all to stop and go away. I wanted the last two weeks of my life back.

"Did something happen at the club?" Ray now asked me, pulling my face up to look at him. "Tell me what happened. Something had to have happened for you to be in such a state. I don't think I've ever seen you like this be for. You're really scaring me, Abs."

I looked into his caring eyes, seeing the depth of his love for me. I tried to draw in my breath to speak, and it came hesitantly. "Oh, Ray," I finally managed, "I—I—it's—it's—Valen—," but that was all I could get out.

"What?" Ray asked, gripping my face tighter, making me really have to keep looking at him. "Did he hurt you, Abigail? Did something happen while I was in the dining room on the phone? Tell me."

Ray was taking what I had meant to say the wrong way. Valen had done something to me, but not in the way Ray was thinking. At this point, who was I to dissuade Ray from believing that Valen hadn't tried something more violent than he had? If Ray got mad enough, he'd make sure Valen couldn't come near me, or Beth, ever again. Valen had violated the solidness of my world, just not in the manner that Ray was concluding. I had played a part too, not putting my foot down sooner than I did. I had let Valen's seduction work on me for at least a little while; a little while too long, probably.

"Abby, if you want me to help you, you've got to tell me what happened, sweetheart," Ray was saying to me. "Did Valen do something to you?"

"He—we—on—the—dance—floor," I forced out, trying to explain, but I couldn't. The guilt and shame I felt about how I responded to Valen wouldn't let me finish.

"Did he try to force himself on you, Abby?" Ray now asked more directly, wiping at my tears with his thumbs. "Come on, tell me the truth."

I drew in another shaky breath, trying to stem my crying. "It—wasn't anything—that—dramatic—," I attempted to say.

"So he _did_ try something with you," Ray said more as a statement than a question. "I thought so. It had to have been _pretty_ dramatic to have you in such a state." He pulled back and started looking me over, looking for signs of attack. "We should probably call the police."

"No, no, no, no," I huffed out. "Please, no."

"But if he hurt you in anyway, Abby—," Ray started, but I stopped him.

"He just scared the shit out me, Ray," I said hurriedly, recovered enough to speak. "He didn't actually hurt me. I didn't let it get that far." I wanted Valen out of my life, but I wasn't going to go so far as to get him arrested for not technically hurting me. He had, in fact, kept me from going to the emergency room again, but that had been for his own gain, not to really help me. Part of what I said was true, but _I_ genuinelythought _I'd _let Valen get too far.

"Tell me exactly what he did, Abs," Ray demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"He just got a little aggressive on the dance floor is all," I lied, knowing that I shouldn't. "I put an end to it real quick and got away from him."

I watched Ray's jaw tighten. "If you hadn't—," Ray wanted to say, but I cut him off again.

"But—I—did," I said with more shaky breaths. "He backed off. I don't want to ever be around him again. Tonight was a mistake. I'm sorry to have pushed it the way that I did."

Ray was ever my white night. "None of this is your fault, Abby. You thought you would be helping a friend and enjoying an evening out. It's obvious Valen—that dirt bag—had other plans for how the night should've gone. If nothing else, we need to warn Beth away from him. And, don't worry. I won't let him get within a hundred feet of you, sweetheart."

I felt the need to sob wash over me all over again. "I just want to go to bed and forget this night ever happened, Ray."

Ray gently stood and picked me up in his arms. "That can be arranged. In the morning, I want you to call Beth and tell her about the real Valen Gallier," he told me softly, but forcefully.

"Oh, Ray, I can't be the one to talk to Beth!" I cried.

"For Heaven's sake, Abby, why not?" Ray asked, surprised as he sat me down on the big, downy bed in our bedroom.

I didn't think I could face Beth and tell her what an asshole her new boyfriend was. One reason was because I just didn't want to be the bearer of bad news to her. She had been so excited and happy to finally be dating someone that I didn't want to be _the one_ that popped her balloon. The second reason was because I felt so guilty about being _the one_ that was diverting Valen's attention away from her; I felt a huge amount of guilt, like I had tried to steal him away from her or something. It was stupid thought. He'd come on to me, but I had let him.

"Beth may take it the wrong way if it comes for me," I tried to rationalize. "She may think I'm being too judgmental, not seeing it from the right point of view. She might think that I'm bad mouthing him because I don't want to see her happy and in a relationship. I know it sounds silly," I said, acknowledging Ray's skeptical raise of his eyebrows, "but women sometimes think that way. If it came from you—an outside, neutral source—she might take the situation more seriously."

"You don't think she'll believe you when you tell her that Valen tried to seduce her friend behind her back?" Ray inquired, walking over to the dresser and pulling out one of my light pink nightgowns.

"No I don't. Especially when I haven't told her about knowing him before hand, from the flower shop and the hospital," I pointed out. "Coming from you it wouldn't sound so fishy."

Ray smiled lightly at me, returning to the bed to help me strip out of my disheveled dress. "Maybe you're right," he suddenly said. "She might listen to someone like me, who's more like an older brother or father-figure to her. Beth does kind of look up to me sometimes. She did want me along tonight to get a feel for Valen, and boy, did I. She really does need to know just how serious the situation is, and that she needs to dump this guy's ass, like yesterday."

That got a small smile out of me. Ray slipped my silky nightgown over my head and down my body. There was nothing sexual about it. He was taking care of me, easing my fears, comforting me. He then got me to lie back onto the pillows and pulled the sheet up over me, tucking me in. He let the comforter off, for that would be way too warm for sleeping.

"Thanks, Ray," I mumbled, fatigue starting to overwhelm me. "I'm sorry that I'm so messed up right now."

"It's okay, Abs," he told me, running his hands through my hair, smoothing it down for me. "It seems as though we're driving through a bunch of potholes right now, but soon the road with clear up again."

I kissed him gently on the lips. "I sure hope so, Ray. I really do, for both our sakes."

* * *

I woke up some time in the middle of the night, startled awake. Something didn't feel right, not right at all. The manor was silent. I couldn't hear the air conditioner cycling or anything. I sat up and looked around the room; it looked like a hurricane had gone through, scrambling everything up. Lamps were crashed on the floor, broken into many pieces. The dressers and wardrobe over turned, and their contents spilled out all over the room. The writing desk, its chair, and the dressing table were all smashed.

_How could I've slept through all this? _I wondered to myself as a horrible and thick dread began to settle over me.

My next instinct was to reach over and wake Ray to see what he thought, or if he realized what had happened to our room. What I touched wasn't just the soft, cottony sheets. They felt wet and slimy, like they were covered in something warm and sticky. It was dark in the room. Only a little light from the moon outside shone in through the window, but I could see a large and shadowy pattern spread out across the sheet covering Ray when I looked down. I gulped and prayed the substance I was touching wasn't what I feared it was. My heart skipped a couple of beats, and then began to pound in my chest like a frantic humming bird. My hands and fingers began to get a pins-and-needles feeling in them, letting me know I was hyperventilating. Slowly, with much trepidation, I began to pull the sheet down off of Ray, so I could see him better.

"Ray," I called quietly, just a whisper. Then a little louder, "Ray." I received no reply; he didn't stir. I tried one more time with much more volume, "Ray."

Then my heart dropped into my stomach, and the world went in and out of focus as I saw what was left of my Ray. It was just bloody pulp. I then recognized a leg here and an arm there, all spread out from each other on his side of the bed. I couldn't identify a head or much of anything else. Bile and the meal from the club threatened to come back up. I screamed in utter terror and shock.

Immediately, I tried to distance myself from the blood and gore, falling off my side of the bed. It took me three tries to stand up, my legs refusing to support me. I was shaking and my breath was coming in fast hitches. I could feel cold sweat beading up all over my body. I attempted to make it to the door out of the bedroom, screaming again. I fell a couple of times in my haste to get away from the grizzly scene of human organs, tissue, and blood. I slipped once in a slick pool of blood at the end of the bed, whimpering and crying.

Once into the hallway, I ran to the stairs and down them as fast as my shaky legs would carry me. I ran to the front door and out into the night. I ran down the long drive up to the manor, huffing and puffing, moaning and sobbing. I didn't have any idea where I was going or why I was running away instead of calling for help. A quick thought flicked through my panic-filled brain. I needed to get to a neighbor's; they would know what to do.

I ran along the dirt road, and instead of ending up out onto the paved road below, I was suddenly down by the river, in more of the swampland. I ran through the thick grass, undergrowth, and trees, hitting the occasional muddy spot, and the downright wet spots. I ran, stumbling and falling a dozen times, getting filthy dirty in the swamp water and mud. After what seemed like endless hours, I saw a light in the distance; the light in the window of a house.

_Finally some civilization! _my mind cried. _Finally someone to help me! Oh God, thank you!_

Bruised, battered, covered in swamp film, and hysterical, I reached the small, cabin-like structure set back from the river bank, up on firmer ground. The light shone in its window like a beacon of hope. Out of breath and ready to collapse, I banged on the front door, yelling for help. It took several minutes before I heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the door. Relief washed through my veins. Someone was there.

The door opened with painstaking slowness. "Please you've got to help me! Ray's dead! He's dead!" I screamed in pure panic.

"It's all right, Abigail. It's all right. You're safe now," a familiar male voice told me with great calm. "Come to me. I'll help you."

It was Valen that appeared before me, but instead of being shocked or upset, my relief became more complete. I rushed into his open arms and let him enfold me in them. He was so warm and so alive. I felt protected, safe from all harm. He was here for me. "Oh, Valen," I sobbed into his chest. He was wearing a soft, cottony, button down white shirt and black jeans. The shirt was unbuttoned halfway down, so the skin of my cheek met his bare skin. It felt so peaceful, so right.

He rubbed his hands up and down my back and stroked my hair as he held me close. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right, my love. Everything will be all right," he reassured me soothingly. "You're a mess. Let's get you cleaned up."

"But Ray's dead, Valen! He's dead!" I continued to wail. "There were—parts—of him all over the bedroom!"

He was guiding me slowly towards a bathroom, turning on a light, and heading us towards the shower. "I know. I tried to warn you. This was bound to happen sooner or later."

That shocked the hell out of me. _"What?"_ I screeched. "I have no idea what you're talking about. You've never warned me about anything."

"You didn't want to believe that you were like me, but you are. Now you have proof," he explained to me.

I still wasn't getting it. By this time, he had turned the shower on, making the water nice and hot. He was also starting to slip the thin straps of my nightgown off my shoulders. I stopped him by placing my hands on his large wrists. This was not happening. I was not turning to him for help, and I was not going to let him put me in the shower naked.

"Proof of what?" I demanded.

"That you _are _like me, and that by denying that fact, it would get your lover killed," Valen said it as if I should know exactly what he was talking about.

A sudden thought then occurred to me. "Are you saying that _I'm _somehow responsible for Ray's death?" I hissed at Valen, my anger flaring hot and high.

"There's no _somehow _about it, Abigail. You killed him," Valen said bluntly, looking at me with his crisp, blue eyes.

"I did no such thing!" I shouted, trying to move away from him. "I think I would remember dismembering my fiancé!"

Valen grabbed my upper arms to keep me from going anywhere, pulling me close. His face was inches from mine. "There's a part of your nature that you don't fully comprehend, my dear. Your subconscious has been trying for months to tell you, to show you, but you refuse to acknowledge it. You're a killer, Abigail. You need to face that fact."

I didn't know what to say to him. My mouth opened and shut. "Stop this," I finally pled. "Please stop it."

"I'm not causing it, darling," he told me, one hand straying from holding me in place to brush my cheek gently. "I'm trying to help you. Make you see the truth. You belong with your own kind, _me_. Only then will you have peace, and the people around you will be safe."

I floundered again, not knowing how to take any of what he was saying to me. His other hand joined the first one, stroking both my cheeks. It felt so good. I sighed, forgetting for a moment what we were talking about. He smelled nice, I then realized, that woodsy, earthen, verbena smell I liked. He leaned in close to brush his lips with mine. An electric thrill shot through my body, so different from anything I'd ever experienced before. I wanted more, so I took more, deepening the kiss. Valen didn't hesitate to take my opening, teasing and tasting my mouth.

His shirt came off as we continued our exploring kisses. He lifted me up and into the shower, once again sliding the straps of my nightgown down my shoulders. I didn't try and stop him this time. Even when the nightgown fell to the floor, I reveled in it, instead of shying away. It wasn't long until we were both without clothes and under the caress of the hot water. I hadn't made out like this, since college, with a stranger, with such reckless abandonment; not even with Ray. I let myself get lost in all the pleasurable sensations that Valen and his body created in me.

* * *

Sudden, bright light snapped my eyes open. Slowly, I comprehended that I had been dreaming. I remembered that the dream had involved Valen, and that it had been erotic in nature. My body still hummed from what my brain had been experiencing. I felt flushed, and then embarrassed about what I had been dreaming about as I looked around for Ray. He was not in bed, but I could hear the tell-tale sound of the shower running. Our room appeared to be in fine shape, nothing like how I had envisioned it in my dream; nothing broken and no blood and gore.

_Thank God!_ I cried with relief in my mind. _All that horror was just another one of my dreams, and so was the last part… Did I really dream about having sex in the shower with Valen? Shit. _My face grew warm at the thought, and I felt so ashamed.

This was the first time I had a more concrete idea of what I had dreamt about. Most of the time, I only had a vague recollection of the contents of my nightmares. It was more just the horrible feelings that they evoked, but nothing of real substance that I was left with. It was different after this one. I still didn't remember everything about what happened, but I could remember more solid chunks. I tried to chalk it all up to what had happened last night at the club. The dream was a way for my poor overloaded brain to deal with the emotional upheaval.

It must have been later in the morning, for the sun was streaming in from the east window, even through the curtain. I was guessing I had slept late, but obviously Ray had too, if he was only now in the shower. I kept wondering why the essence of the nightmares had changed. It started out just as ghastly as all the other ones, but it had ended so much differently. I was puzzled as to why Valen had entered them, and why, when he scared me and irritated me so badly, that my subconscious would bring him in as a savior of sorts and a love interest—well at this point, it was probably more to do with lust than love.

Ray came out of the bathroom with only a white, fluffy towel wrapped around his waist, and his hair still all wet from his shower. "Ah, Sleepy Beauty's finally awake," he commented with a grin.

"What time is it?" I asked with a voice still hoarse from sleep.

"Around eleven," he told me. "You must have really needed to sleep. For once you didn't wake up screaming in the middle of the night. You slept peacefully right on through. I didn't have the heart to wake you, so I went running, then came back and showered, to let you sleep longer."

"I didn't toss and turn, or cry out or anything?" I asked, surprised.

"Nope," Ray said coming to stand by the bed. "How do you feel?"

I felt great, very well-rested and energized. My body was still zinging from that damned last part of the dream. Ray was a very yummy sight right now, all bare-chested and still watery from his shower. My first impulse was to initiate something intimate between us, but then, for some strange reason, I was suddenly very wary and very frightened by that idea. A little voice in my head was telling that that might not be a good idea right now. That made me pause; I'd never not wanted Ray. It wasn't that I didn't want him, because oh _yes_ I did, but something was making me hold back.

I finally answered him. "Much better than last night."

"That's encouraging to hear," he replied. "Once you get up and getting going, let's have brunch out on the veranda. We can discuss what we need to say to Beth."

"_We_?" I repeated. "I thought _you_ were going to talk to her."

Ray smiled kindly at me. "I know, and I will, but I thought it might be a better idea to talk to her together. Not to gang up on her, but show her a united front. So that she knows that neither one of us is trying to pull something over on her and also to back each other up."

"I guess that makes sense," I said hesitantly. I really didn't want to have to face Beth, especially not after what I had dreamt about Valen last night.

"I know you're worried about how she's going to react," Ray acknowledged. "I am too. That's why I'd really like us to talk to her together. I need you to have my back, Abs."

When he put it like that, I couldn't refuse him. Besides, Beth was one of my closest friends. I had to own up and talk to her myself. I owed it to her. I knew that deep down in my heart. "All right," I said, taking a deep, cleansing breath, "we'll do it together."

"Thanks, Abs," Ray said very sincerely. "You're the best."

I didn't know about that. I was pretty sure that I was the farthest thing from the best as a person could be.

TBC…

* * *

Poor Abby, huh. She's having a very hard time. What's the verdict on this chapter? Good or no? Please let me know.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note: **This chapter is to move the story along a little bit with plot and relationships. It shows the bond between Beth, Abby, and Ray. Tests are done to see what Abby's health issue is, allowing us to meet some of her adoptive family. We also get to see Abby in her work environment at the zoo. Valen makes a reappearance as well. Thanks so much to RadcliffePotter for proofreading for me. She rocks! And thanks so much to the few readers I've pick up for their kind reviews. I'm glad people are liking this story. You guys are awesome!

**Rated T: **For language

* * *

**Chapter 6**

The talk with Beth went better than I expected. She started out quite angry and defensive—not that I blamed her in the least— but then reality finally sunk in. I think that was thanks to Ray's down-to-earth demeanor. Ray had begun the conversation after dessert while we all played a game of croquet out back on his big lawn. He told Beth about what she had missed last night at the club, while in the restroom.

"You wanted to know what Abs and I thought about Valen, right?" he asked her.

"Yeah. That's kinda the whole point of me coming over here without him," Beth said as she hit her ball, missing the hoop by just a small fraction.

Ray took a deep breath before he gave her the bad news. "Beth, Valen went after Abby on the dance floor. It really shook her up. We both don't think you should see him anymore. He's not a good guy."

"What are you talking about, Ray?" Beth wanted to know, looking from Ray to me. I had a hard time meeting her eyes. "Valen wouldn't do that. He's always been a gentleman with me."

"Maybe with you, but not with Abby. He got quite aggressive with my fiancée, and I'm not too happy about it, Beth," Ray said honestly. "And last night wasn't the first time he's tried something with her."

Beth looked at us blankly for a moment, and then came the anger. "Abs, what's Ray saying? That Valen put the moves on you on while you were dancing? Why would he do that?"

I could tell she didn't want to hear the last part of what Ray had said. I slowly took my turn, hitting my little, green-striped ball; it didn't get very far. "Ray had gone upstairs to take an important call and you were in the bathroom not feeling well," I started. "Valen asked me to dance. I told him that I didn't think that would be a good idea and went to dance by myself. Part of the way into the song, Valen tried to join me, and let's just say things went downhill from there." I shamefully left out the part where I became complaisant in the dance.

Beth frowned, not wanting to believe me. "Are you sure he didn't just join you on the dance floor? Could you have misinterpreted what he was doing?" she tried to rationalize.

"I don't think so Beth," Ray broke back in. "Abby was so upset by what happened that she locked herself in our bathroom, and I had to break down the door to get her to talk to me. I found her huddled up in a ball on the floor."

Beth froze at Ray's words. Then she looked at me, and I saw all the color drain out of her face. "Did he really hurt you, Abby?" she asked in a whisper.

"I didn't let it get that far, Beth," I again lied. "Let's just say he wanted to do a whole lot more than dance. It really scared me. It's been a long time since I've been around a guy that aggressive. I freaked partially because I knew what it would do to you. I swear I didn't try to do anything to encourage him." I wanted to smack myself for lying yet again.

Ray stepped in once more. "Beth, I think Valen's using you to get to Abby. He's fixated on her for some reason, in a really creepy way. He was at the florist's the day Abby first starting having health problems and had to be taken to the hospital, and then he came to the hospital. He stayed until we found out she was going to be all right. His showing up the day you girls went to lunch was kind of a weird coincidence too."

"We didn't say anything about having met him before, because he seemed to be ignoring that fact. You know, not mentioning it in front of you," I threw in. "We also didn't say anything because we didn't want to make any prejudgments. We really wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, Beth."

Then Beth's own doubts and fears came out. "This is going to sound really bad," she said softly, "but I _did_ kinda think that something was off from the beginning with Valen. I can't explain exactly what it was, but something was telling me he was too good to be true. I couldn't quite believe someone as good-looking and seemingly well-adjusted as he was would want someone like me. I tried to tell myself it was just my cynicism about relationships and guys in general attempting to hold me back and not let me take a risk, coupled with my low self-esteem. It looks like my first instincts may have been right though."

"Oh, Beth, don't do that to yourself," I admonished her, dropping my mallet and running over to her. "You are a beautiful, vivacious, and wonderful person. Valen is a complete ass not to see it. Please don't hate me," I then blurted out.

Beth hugged me as I reached her. "I'm not mad at you. Now if it were Jess, I'd be really pissed. But you're engaged to be married, Abs, and I know how much you and Ray mean to each other. I would never think that you'd let this happen on purpose. I know how much Ray must have to fight off all the guys that want you. How could he not?"

"Whatever," I told her, rolling my eyes. "I'm damn lucky that Ray'll put up with me. I'm surprised he likes me as much as he does."

"You two need to give yourselves a break," Ray told us. Then he turned to Beth. "All the things Abby said about you are true, Beth. You're a stunning young woman. You're smart, you have a good sense of humor, and you're fun to be around. If I wasn't so crazy about Abby, I'd be a complete idiot not to notice you. And all the stuff you know about this city is absolutely amazing. You've got a real talent for knowing all the historical ins and outs." Ray turned back to me. "And Abigail Laroche, how dare you think that I _just_ put up with you and think that I _just _like you? We'll have to have our own private discussion later where I can show you just how much you mean to me." He gave me his best sultry look, and I about melted.

"Ray's right, Beth. Valen's the bottom of the barrel in the ethics department," I told her. "He's throwing away the best damn thing that could've ever happened to him, _you_, for whatever sick, twisted games he likes to play with women. Dump him and move on. You can and _will _do better. Just consider this experience a learning one. Don't let it jade you or make you not want to take the risk again."

I could see the tears forming in Beth's eyes. "I can't believe I let him snowball me like that. I just wanted to finally be in a relationship so bad, and he was so yummy and cool. This is exactly why I wanted you guys to meet him." She wiped at her eyes, trying not to cry. "I'm glad that you guys could see what was really going on. I knew I picked you guys as friends for a good reason," she added, trying to laugh.

I hugged her again, for all I was worth. Ray came at her from the other side and hugged her too, so she was sandwiched between us. "We hated to have to be the ones to tell you, but we knew you needed to know," he said quietly.

"No, I'm glad it came from you two," Beth argued. "I trust your judgment, and I trust our friendship." She pulled away, wiping at her eyes again. I noticed some tears had slid down her cheeks.

"Can we do anything for you?" I asked, feeling small and helpless at the obvious pain Beth was in.

"I don't think so," she sniffed. "I'll break it off with him as soon as I can. I'm actually glad to do it now, before I get too much emotion invested in him. I mean, I'm really glad that I haven't slept with him yet. That would make this that much more horrible. Then I really _would_ feel used. We came very close last night—to going _that_ far," she elaborated. "I stopped us, not feeling right about it. Valen didn't push too much, but he was more revved up last night than he's ever been with me. Now I think I know why." She blushed as she said all of this.

"Because he couldn't get it on with me," I said disgusted and angry. "Beth, I'm so, so sorry."

"I'll live, Abs. I'll live," Beth sighed heavily. "Could I borrow Ray, if I feel I need him when I tell Valen to get lost?" she then asked tentatively.

"I'd be happy to help you dump the scum bag, Beth," Ray volunteered easily. "That way I can warn him off of Abby— if you don't mind."

Beth smiled half-heartedly. "I think it would drive the point home very thoroughly, as I'll be dumping his ass for that very thing."

I felt somewhat relieved that Beth had seen reason and had taken the whole thing as well as she had, but my heart went out to her. Plus, I couldn't shake the guilty feeling that this was all my fault. I knew rationally that it wasn't my fault, that Valen had decided to use Beth to try and get close to me for his own reasons, but I felt I had encouraged him. Add to that, the fact that I was now having erotic dreams about the bastard, and I really felt like dirt. Basically, I knew all was for the best, but I was just miserable.

* * *

Going in for my borrow marrow aspiration and biopsy was not what I wanted to be doing right now. Dr. Gerard had assured me that they would make it as painless as possible. Normally, they used a local anesthesia because they liked you to be fully awake, but in some cases, if the patient had extreme anxiety or had really dense bones, they'd put you out with an IV sedative. I was kind of torn; on the one hand, it might be fascinating to watch, but on the other, I might freak out.

The procedure wasn't supposed to take very long, about thirty minutes or so, unless they had to sedate me. Then the prep and recovery time would make it take longer. I was relieved that this could all be done on an outpatient basis. They were going to be taking samples from a few different areas, so the procedure might be a little more complicated for me. They were going to collect samples from the top ridge of the back of one of my hipbones, from my breastbone, and from one of my lower leg bones, just below the knee. Most of the time, just one location was picked, but whatever they thought was going on with me, seemed to warrant a lot more sampling than usual. That did nothing to encourage me.

The hematologist and his team were going to do the bone marrow aspiration first. They would make a small incision where they needed to insert a big, long, and hollow needle into my bone and into my bone marrow. With a syringe attached to the needle, the doctor would draw a sample from the liquid portion of my bone marrow. For the bone marrow biopsy, a sample of my solid bone marrow would be taken. Another needle would be used to accomplish this task, but a different kind than would be used for the aspiration. They would be collecting a core or cylindrical sample of my solid bone marrow.

I was nervous and a little scared, as this was my first time having any of these procedures done on me. I hated needles with a passion, so I was thinking that sedation might be the better option for me at this point. Ray picked up on my anxiety right away.

"I'll be right here the whole time, sweetheart," he reassured me gently, holding my hand tightly in his, after I'd finished filling out the stack of paper work required to have the procedure done. "These are skilled physicians. You'll be fine, and maybe we'll have some better answers when they're through."

"I'm gonna ask them to put me out," I decided. "I don't think I'll be able to handle being awake. Please make sure they knock me out, Ray."

"Okay," he confirmed for me. "I will."

"Thanks for being here, Ray," I suddenly told him. "It's really helping, and I appreciate having you by my side."

Ray smiled at me and mussed my hair a little. "I told you I would do anything for you, Abs." Then he kissed me lightly.

"We're ready to get you prepped, Miss Laroche," a nurse interrupted us.

"If Amelia or my mom show up, you'll fill them in on everything?" I asked as I got up to go with the nurse. My big sister and my mom had insisted on being here for me today too. I was grateful for the family support. They had to drive down from Baton Rouge to be with me.

Ray nodded. "I'll make sure I find them and bring them up to speed for you. Don't worry."

"Love you," I said as I had to turn and walk away.

"Love you too, Abs," was Ray's comforting reply.

* * *

I woke up very groggy and incoherent to find my mother and sister gently helping me to wake up. I was in the hospital's recovery room, coming out of sedation. It was so nice to see Ami's smiling face and my mother fretting over me. It took me a minute to process everything, but it all came back to me rather quickly.

Amelia was blonde like me, but her hair was much lighter than mine, more golden. She had gray-blue eyes and a round face. Her nose was longer than mine and had more of a ski jump look to it. She wasn't my birth sister, but she was my big sister all the same. She was three years older than I was. She was married and had two beautiful little girls. Her husband, Armand Freiot, was a solid and good man. He was a firefighter by profession, kind of scary at times, but comforting to know that he was saving people's lives and property.

My mom, Jeanette Laroche, was your typical Southern woman— raised with a good sense of right and wrong and a thinking-of-others-first mentality. She had worked to instill those qualities in all of us kids. Some of us had learned those lessons better than others. My mom was a middle-aged housewife with a gift for interior designing, running a little business from home now that her children were all grown. She was in her mid-fifties with graying, sandy brown hair. She had gotten a little plump as she had aged, but the weight kept her looking younger than her years. Her deep, brown eyes always had a warm and welcoming glow in them, except when you were in trouble with her.

"There's my Abby," Mom cooed over me. "How do you feel, sweetie?"

My mouth felt like I had cotton ball in it. "I'm not sure yet," I answered, trying to break out of the fog that my mind wanted to stay in.

"The doctor said you could go home once you were fully conscious and coherent," Ami told me. "All your incisions have stopped bleedin', and they're all patched up. They got all the samples they needed."

"That's good," I replied, still a little out of it. I caught about half of what she'd said.

It was then that I felt Ray's strong hand in mind and saw him sitting on the other side of the bed from my mom and sister. His smile comforted me too. "Dr. Gerard said that it would take them at least a few days to test and examine all the samples of your bone marrow they took," he explained to me. "Possibly longer."

"Ugh," I said, frustrated that I had to keep waiting for answers.

"That's putting it mildly," my mom huffed. "We were hoping you'd find out today, but I guess these things take time."

"I've offered to let your mom and Ami stay at the manor until we find out, so they don't have to keep driving an hour and a half between here and Baton Rouge. That's if they want to," Ray told me.

"Of course we'll stay, sugar," Ami said as if there's was no argument in the matter. "The girls are stayin' with Armand's parents while I'm here, and he's workin' a seventy- two hour shift at the station. So stayin' down here for a few days should be no problem. We want to be here for you when you find out what's causin' you to not feel so good. You need your family around you."

"Your dad may get down here sometime tomorrow too, if he can break away from the office. He's working on some big account for the ad agency, and you know how he gets. But he does want to be here and support you," Mom put in.

I really did need the support right now. I really wanted to talk to my mom about things too. She always had a way of making me feel better or looking at things in a more practical way. It used to infuriate me as a teenager, but now I didn't know what I do without her positive perspective on life and its trials.

"Too bad our bros can't be here, but they're both overseas," Ami mused, looking nostalgic. "I worry about them every day over there fightin' in Afghanistan."

"Not more than their mother does," my mom announced strongly. We all smiled at her motherly worry and concern. "But I'm so proud of them serving their country and helping to make this world a safer place for all of us."

"Can you sit up, Abs?" Ray then asked me.

"I'll try," I said, starting to feel more with it. Very slowly and very gingerly, I got myself into a sitting position. I felt a little light headed, but it passed quickly. I yawned, still fighting of the sleepy sensation I had.

My body felt stiff and certain places felt sore and tender. I groaned. "Once all the anesthetic wears off, I'm going to be hating life."

"The doctors said you could be sore for a few days, but after that you shouldn't be any the worse for wear," Ray said with encouragement.

"Let's get you home," my mom insisted. "Then I can cook you a good meal and you can rest and recuperate in peace."

Ray smiled at me and laughed. He knew well enough not to get in my mom's way when she was watching over one of her little chicks. "Sounds delightful," he told her.

"Yeah," I said as well. "It does sound like just what I need."

* * *

The saying "no rest for the wicked" sure seemed to apply to me lately. Not two days after my bone marrow sampling procedures, work called me, desperate to have me come in, even if it was for just a short time. The zoo curator, Brian Yates, my main boss, called me with exciting news: Jane, one of our Amur leopards, was possibly pregnant. She and our main male Amur leopard, Tarzan, had finally mated. Brian wanted me, the zoo's resident expert and veterinarian, to come in an officially verify that the zoo would be having some new additions in the next twelve weeks or so. Actually, Brian knew what it would mean to me to make the diagnosis, instead of some other vet they could call in.

I laughed every time I used Tarzan and Jane in the same sentence. We had traded one of our females for Jane who was from the Helsinki Zoo in Finland. The main curator there purposely named the female Amur leopard Jane just hoping that he could get it to mate with our male Amur leopard Tarzan. All the zoos throughout the global were in constant communication with each other about how each of their leopards were doing and how their breeding programs were going. Getting enough leopards to help their desolated population was a big problem that would take a big, concerted effort to solve.

Some zoos chose, on recommendation by their vets, to do artificial insemination, thinking it easier on the animals and the zoo personnel. In a lot of cases that might be true, but I was an old-fashioned girl. I thought it would be good to let nature take its course. These animals needed to have all of their natural instincts to survive in the wild. We needed the practice of helping them learn what those natural instincts were. We needed to study all the ins and outs of how these animals really behaved.

When Jane first came to the zoo, a little over six months ago, she would have nothing to do with Tarzan. She didn't seem to like him. She would hiss, snarl, and growl, always laying her ears back, narrowing her eyes, and baring her fangs at him. She would take swipes at him as well. For a little while we had to separate them. Eventually, Jane got so she would at least tolerate being in the same pen with him, but she had no interest in letting him get too close.

Tarzan, on the other hand, showed interest in Jane right away, always trying to get on her good side. He'd be slow and cautious around her, attempting to win her over. Brian laughed when he told me the courtship-like rituals he'd go through to get Jane to warm up to him. Brian swore that Tarzan actually found little ways to seduce and charm Jane. I guess all Tarzan's work paid off, for Brian said they'd done the dirty deed, several times in fact. He sounded really excited over the phone. He felt bad that it had happened shortly after I took ill, and that I hadn't gotten to see the fruits of all our labors.

Ami offered to drive me into work at the zoo and keep watch over me. While I played doctor, she would stroll around the Audubon Institute complex, sightseeing. That worked for me, Ray, and my mother. Ray had lots of work to do, and my mom wanted to go do some shopping for the wedding. My dad had already come down, and then gone back to Barton Rouge.

As I walked through the door to the main zoo offices, Della Barns, Brian's second-in-command and a strong African-American woman greeted me warmly with a gentle hug. "Oh, Abby, it's so good to have you back here, even if it's for a short time."

"Thanks, Dell," I replied with equal warmth. "It's great to be here. I'm going to say hi to Tarzan first, and then I'll get official and examine Jane."

"Brian's in some meeting with some Audubon Institute board members, but he'll be able to break away and talk to you after you're done," Della informed me. She was dressed in the typical zoo employee attire, brown slacks and dark tan, almost sheriff-like, long-sleeved shirt. She had her company name badge on as well. "Tarzan's out in the public forum and Jane's resting in the inner pen. Austin and Rose are out in the public forum too, the last time I checked."

I had donned my own brown slacks and dark tan uniform, French-braiding my hair back and out of my way. Della gave me one of our walkie-talkies to keep in communication with all the zoo keepers around the grounds.

"Are you sure you feel up to this, cher?" she asked me with a frown when she watched me gingerly move about. "I'm going to have Toby and Keith on stand-by while you're with the cats."

"I'm fine, really," I said. "I'm just still a little sore in a few places, but just muscle ache sore. Nothing I can't handle. I can do this. I _need and want_ to do this. Having Toby and Keith close at hand might be a good idea, though," I conceded. "Just in case something goes wrong. Even though the cats all know me well, they're still wild animals and might pick up on my weakness."

I grabbed a mini-tranquillizer gun, clipping it to my belt beside the walkie-talkie. I also grabbed a retractable prod, in case I needed to make any points with Tarzan or the others. I'd never had to before, but I wasn't stupid. I always went to see my babies prepared for if things went south. They sometimes could in an instant when dealing with wild animals, and that instant could mean life or death for the handler.

I walked through the underground tunnels that allowed all of the zoo keepers to move around in unseen by the public in order to be able to access all of the animals' pens. I walked into the big cat exhibit area and into the back of the leopards' enclosure. Jane was in the inner pen, hiding from the prying eyes of people for the moment. She was up on a stone ledge, asleep. So was Rose. Leopards were normally nocturnal predators, sleeping most of the day and being most active at night. It was around four o'clock in the afternoon, so it was normal to see Jane and Rose inside and resting.

I walked passed their pens to enter the space between the inner more private pen and the outer public forum one. I loved the set up we had for our leopards. At my continual and persistent nagging, I had gotten Brian to convince the Audubon Institute board members to approve and fund a large expansion of the leopards' environment. They even allowed a huge, wild olive tree to be transplanted here, so that the leopards would have a real, live tree to climb. Leopards were natural tree climbers and very good at it. They liked to sleep in them, and they would drag their kills up into them to protect them from scavengers.

Unlike, domestic house cats, most of the big cats loved water, and leopards were no exception. A large, fake river landscape had also been created for a more realistic environment. When I walked in, Tarzan and the younger male, Austin, were full-out frolicking in the made-up river, splashing water everywhere. I looked around, and there weren't too many people observing the leopard forum right now. That was good; it was easier for me to interact with the animals.

I waited until Tarzan and Austin noticed me standing in the doorway to the inner pen before I spoke to them. I didn't want to spook them. "Hey there, big guys," I said, as a mother would talk to a small child. "Did you miss me?"

Tarzan stopped playing and gazed directly at me. I watched him sniff the air and watched his ears turn in the direction of my voice. Then he bounded over closer to me. I took a few steps out of the doorway, letting the door shut behind me. It didn't take long until we were mere feet apart. Austin was more interested in continuing to play in the water.

"I've heard you've been a busy boy," I cooed, offering a hand for Tarzan to smell.

Cautiously, he sniffed at me, and then he walked forward to rub up against my legs, like any cat would an owner it likes. He was big enough, however, at one hundred and sixty pounds or so that this simple act almost knocked me over. I squatted down to be more on his level and to give myself some grounding. He continued to rub up against me, and then he nudged my hand, wanting me to pet him.

"You did miss me didn't you, T," I sing-songed to him. "I sure missed you." I started to scratch him under his chin, his favorite spot.

I let my other hand run down his head and back, until he lay at my feet, letting me give him a good rub down. "Oh, yeah, you like that don't you, big guy," I teased him.

I got a deep purring vibration from his throat as his reply. I smiled, loving the feel of his coat in my hands. He was wet, but I didn't care. He looked good, healthy. Amur leopards had a distinctly pale, cream coat with widely spaced rosette spots. The rosettes were thick, black rings with darkened centers. Their fur was also longer than that of other types of leopards. Tarzan had beautiful blue-green eyes that you could get lost in. They reminded me of someone else's suddenly. I didn't like who.

Austin, seeing all the attention that Tarzan was getting, made his way over to us. He rubbed himself along my back, behind me. Then he insisted that one of my hands get busy petting and stroking him too. I complied easily, enjoying the feel of his soft fur running through my hand as well.

Right now, Tarzan had his eyes closed as he enjoyed my stroking and scratching. "You finally got Jane to give into you, you devil," I told him glibly. "Good for you. Now I've got to go see if you made her a mamma. I hope so. And you there fella," I told Austin, "need to get busy with Rose." He and Rose got along great it seemed, but so far none of us had seen any interest that either party to want to mate.

I got up to leave, but Tarzan and Austin didn't want me to go. Tarzan got up from lying down and slinked around behind me, barring me from walking away. Austin did the same coming around to the front of me. Tarzan, clearly knowing he was the alpha male, jumped up on me, putting his paws on my chest. Most people would totally freak out at this, but I knew Tarzan, and this meant he wanted to play. He rubbed his chin and the side of his face against mine. Then he dropped down and trotted away, expecting me to follow. Austin followed Tarzan's lead and waited for me to join them. I didn't want to disappoint my boys, but I didn't know if I was up for playing with two big cats right now

"Guys, I don't know if I'm up for this today," I said to them.

When Tarzan saw me hesitate, he raced at me. He was trying to get me to run. He liked to chase me around the tree. Austin wasn't far behind. Just so two large jungle cats didn't slam into me, I ran—not fast, but I ran. I grabbed a part of the tree trunk and pretended to hide behind it. Tarzan roared his approval and tried to flush me out. Austin worked at helping him. Around and around the tree we went; me stopping periodically to try and hide from them, and then letting them chase me again. Finally, without realizing it, I ended up higher up in the tree, on a low branch. My chest, hip, and leg all protested at what my body had done, by jumping up into the tree.

Tarzan, this time with Austin, roared his approval again, but instead of joining me up in the tree, he scratched on the tree trunk wanting me to come down. Austin, being a copy cat, did the same. I needed to catch my breath for a minute, so I huffed and puffed to them, "I think that's enough for today, boys. I'm done."

Seeing that I wasn't coming down anytime soon, Tarzan climbed and sprang his way to a branch above me, where he laid down, panting. Austin found his own branch on the other side of the tree from me and laid down as well. We sat like that for several minutes in the cool shade of the wild olive tree. I closed my eyes and just breathed in the fresh air. It felt nice.

"That was quite a show, Abigail," I heard an all too familiar male voice say to me.

I opened my eyes to scan the observation area around the pen. Through the bars, protecting the people on the other side from the wild animals, I saw Valen standing off to one side. He was away from the main traffic of people; not that there was much on this Thursday evening. He was dressed in black jeans, a white T-shirt this time, and his black leather jacket. He had his oval, Polo sunglasses on, but I knew his eyes were watching my every move. He looked yummy, and my breath caught in my throat.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped at him.

Right before Beth had tried to confront and break up with him, he'd suddenly gone out of town on business. Beth had been furious that he was MIA when she had finally gotten up the courage to dump his ass. She didn't want to do it over the phone; she wanted to do it in person. She wanted him to take her seriously.

"I had the strange urge to come to the zoo today, so I did," he was all he said as his smug smile appeared.

"Could you be any more vague?" I demanded, slowly climbing down from my branch. Tarzan stayed put, but I watched him watching Valen carefully. Austin didn't seem to care one way or the other that a stranger was here.

"I'm actually trying to avoid Beth," Valen admitted to my surprise. "I just got back into town this afternoon, and I know she urgently wants to talk to me. I have a feeling it's not going to be good. She sounded pissed in the voicemail she left me."

I strode over to the bars and looked up at him, for the outer forum pen was dropped down in elevation from where the public was located. "I wonder why?" My voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"I know she doesn't want to see me anymore, and I have a good idea how come," he admitted again.

"Did she mean _anything_ to you at all?" I found myself angrily asking him. "Or was your pursuit of me all you thought about?"

He smiled coyly at me, taking off his sunglasses so I could see his eyes go wide and then narrowing, in a very sexy look. "Yes, I did use her as a way to get closer to you, but I did care about her. A lot more than you'll ever know." The last was said a little wistfully, almost sadly. "Breaking up with Beth is probably the best thing in the world for her."

My mouth dropped open at how forthcoming and blunt he was being. When I found my voice again, I asked in a whisper, "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Doing what?"

"Trying to destroy me life. What did I ever do to you?"

Valen scoffed at me. "I'm not trying to destroy anything, Abigail. I'm trying to help you."

"By making moves on me on the dance floor?" I asked incredulously.

"I admit that that was probably a mistake," he said looking directly at me. "I thought I'd have better control around you than that. Apparently, I don't. You're too intoxicating." The last was said huskily, his eyes boring into mine. His eyes were so beautiful.

My body tingled all over as I took in what he said. I felt my face grow warm. Men didn't say things like that to me, not even Ray. It had my head swimming. It was a compliment that a woman desperately wanted to hear from a man, but not hear at the same time. Valen was the flame and I was the moth, and this was a dangerous game. I wanted to play it and not play it at the same time.

I made myself roll my eyes at him, breaking eye contact, and I tried to give him what I thought was a disgusted look, frowning at him. "Stay away from me, Valen. Go play your freaky mind tricks with someone else. Leave me alone."

He knelt down so his face would be more on the level with mine through the bars. "I don't think that's possible now," he whispered.

"Why the hell not?" I bitched at him in frustration. "Whatever it is that you want to have happen between us isn't going to happen. Deal with it. I'm getting married in a little over a month. I'm already in love with another man. I'm not interested in you. You're a crazy stalker, and I _will_ call the police if you don't go away on your own."

Tarzan had come over to sit at my feet. He sniffed the air, and his ears were twitching back and forth as if listening to Valen and me. He growled menacingly at Valen, baring fang. It was nice to know that I had back up, even if it was in animal form. I found myself stepping closer to the big cat. Austin's ears perked up when he heard Tarzan's angry sounds.

Valen took noticed of Tarzan. He met the leopard's eyes with a hard, cold gaze. They stared at each other for the space of many heartbeats. Then Valen spoke. "Back off, little cat. You don't know who you're dealing with."

Tarzan snarled, his ears flattening back, challenging Valen. I could only watch them as I was transfixed by their display for dominance. Valen continued to meet Tarzan angry glare, showing no fear, no sign of backing down.

"Go back to your tree, little cat," Valen then ordered him. "You're not needed here."

Tarzan snarled again, looking like he was going to rush the bars to get at Valen. I didn't know what to do. I should be doing something, but I couldn't move. Valen narrowed his eyes, still not afraid, still not looking away from the leopard. Then Tarzan did something I'd never seen him do, he flinched, and bowed his head, all aggression gone. He turned and went back to the tree, but he didn't jump up into it. Austin came down from his branch and sat by Tarzan, as if comforting him.

How Valen had intimidated Tarzan, I had no idea. Tarzan didn't submit to anyone, except me. All of the other zoo keepers always called me in to handle him, if he wasn't in the mood to comply with what they needed him to do. I, alone, could get him to do what he was supposed to do when it was apparent that that wasn't what he wanted to do. Valen was a total stranger to him and a possible threat, but something about the man had made the big cat wary. I was fascinated, puzzled, and terrified all at the same time.

"Get out of here, Valen," I commanded when I'd found my voice again. "I _will _call security if I have to." I plucked the walkie-talkie off my belt.

"Not until you agree to sit down and talk with me. There's a lot I need to tell you about your biological family, your heritage," he insisted, his eyes now staring into mine.

"I don't want anything more to do with you," I said, refusing to give in. I thought he was totally obsessed and crazy. I didn't want to be anywhere alone with him, but yet I did. _What is wrong with me?_ "How could you possibly know anything about my family?"

He gave me a sly smile. "I've been looking for you for a long time, Abigail," he told me intently. "I've studied your background to find out more about you, to make sure of who you were. I know all about where you came from, who your birth parents were. I know you want to know what I know."

"Why me?" I whispered, really afraid now. My hand holding the walkie-talkie was trembling. He was setting a trap for me; I just knew it.

"I thought I was the last of our people," he told me. "I've been searching for years for another like me, and I found _you_."

"What are you talking about?" _Why can't this guy just come out and say what he wants to say?_

"Just hear me out. If what I tell you doesn't satisfy you, I'll leave you alone. I'll walk away."

"I don't believe you. I don't want to know anything about my birth parents." I did, however, want to know more about my birth parents now that I might have some kind of mysterious health condition, but I wasn't going to tell _him_ that.

It was like he read my mind. "Yes you do," Valen argued. "You want answers about your health issues. You're not sick, Abigail. You don't have any weird disease. You're just going through a change. Your body is only trying to adapt to its true nature."

He was being cryptic on purpose, baiting me, and it was starting to work. I did want to know more and find out what was wrong with me. _But how does he know anything about it? I can't trust him. He's some kind of sociopath or something._

Sensing my hesitation he said, "Meet with me somewhere public, like the local library. I will bring all the documents and files I've collected to show you the truth."

_Okay_, my mind wanted me to say, but, I said, "No," defiantly instead.

"Your stubbornness will lead to the death of those you love," he came back at me with.

"Is that a threat?" I demanded. "Are you going to hurt the people I care about because I won't do what you want?"

Valen hung his head and sighed deeply. "I'm not the threat, my dear. You are. I simply want to help you. You need me."

"No I don't," I growled. _The problem is I just don't need you, I want you, _a dark part of me confessed. Refusing to give into that desire, I then called in back up, finally acting. "Toby, Keith, I have an intruder near the leopard pen that I need you to take care of," I said into the walkie-talkie.

"You're making a mistake," Valen said, as he backed away from the bars and got ready to make a run for it.

"The only mistake I made was letting you stick around this long," I said bitterly, feeling like if I let this continue any longer that I would be betraying Ray. Hell, I'd probably already betrayed him.

"The blood will be on your hands then," he said before he took off, just as Toby and Keith reached the leopard pen.

I shrived at his words. Something in my gut told me he was telling the truth. About what, I didn't have a clue, but whatever it was, it would be bad.

TBC…

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Okay, so how was that chapter? Compelling? Not compelling? Please let me know.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** Did anyone think that Valen would give up that easily? Me either. This chapter deals with Abby getting involved in helping solve the weird mutilation murders, there is news of new arrivals at the zoo, and a more heated encounter with Valen takes place that gives Abby more hints about her true heritage. Thanks so much to those of you who are leaving reviews: HowlynMad, LadyKitana, katkah, KrysOfSorrow, and RadcliffePotter. You guys rock! I'm glad there are other _Cat People_ fans out there besides me. Thanks to my beta reader RadcliffePotter for making sure my chapters make sense.

**Rate R:** For blood and gore, along with some romance and language

* * *

**Chapter 7**

After my thorough examination of Jane, I could positively confirm that she was pregnant. We were all ecstatic at the zoo. It was too early to tell for sure, but it looked like she would probably be having a liter of three cubs. Brian met me in the zoo's main office area, picking me up and swinging me around in his exuberance. When I winced, he apologized profusely for hurting me, forgetting about my still healing incisions. I told him it was fine, but after playing with the cats, the confrontation with Valen, and having examined Jane, I wasn't feeling too hot. Everyone was so excited about Jane's pregnancy, and so was I, but for some reason I just wasn't basking in it like the others were.

"Oh, this is just wonderful, Abs," Brian was telling me, breaking out a bottle of champagne and sharing it with myself, Della, Toby, Keith, and a few of the Audubon Institute's board members that had decided to stick around after their meeting. I, of course, didn't have any.

"We're going to have little ones running around here!" Della gushed, caught up in the excitement.

"Yeah, it's what we've been working toward for months now," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

"What's wrong, sugar?" Della asked me, coming over to gently put an arm around me. "Are you still letting that guy that Toby and Keith chased off bother you?"

I replied with a, "No," but the truth was that I _was_ still bothered by Valen's visit. "I'm just tired," I lied.

"Do you want us to call the police, Abs?" Brian asked, real concern crossing his face. His eyes searched mine. "Is he the guy that Ray thinks is stalking you?"

"How'd you know about that?" I demanded, shrugging Della off.

"Ray had a long talk with me before he would let you come down here," Brian explained. "He mentioned that some creep had used your friend to try and get close to you. He also said something about him getting kind of aggressive with you while on a double-date."

_Great. Thanks Ray. _"He isn't stalking me," I denied. "He just thinks he knows things about me, when clearly he doesn't know his own ass from a hole in the ground. I told him that I had no interest in anything he had to say. I don't think he'll be back."

Della clicked her tongue and shook an ebony finger at me. "Abigail Laroche, I'm surprised at you. You obviously felt threatened by him or you wouldn't have called for backup. You should really take this stalking thing seriously, especially if he has already been physically assertive with you."

"Look, if he shows up again, after I've officially told him that I want nothing more to do with him, then I'll worry," I said, rubbing my temples. My head was starting to hurt.

"You don't want to end up like those three bodies they've found now," Della admonished me. "The latest one was the worst yet."

This was news to me. "The police have found another mutilated body?"

"They haven't announced it to the press yet," Brian expounded. "A detective stopped by earlier today to get our opinion if these bodies are the work of an animal or a person."

"I was going to ask you guys about that," I admitted. "When did they find the third body? Is it male or female?"

"Yesterday morning, upriver from the last one," Brian told me, guiding me slowly away from the Audubon Institute board members. "The medical examiner thinks it's been there for about a week. And it seems to be another woman."

Toby had moved his tall frame with us and now spoke up. "It's definitely being done by an animal. No human could do what's been done to these bodies."

"Not even with a sharp and big enough blade?" I found myself morbidly asking.

"No, there are distinctive teeth and claw marks that you can make out in some of the pieces of flesh that are still intact," Brian answered. His face was pinched in worry, and he ran his hands through his short, slightly curly hair in obvious frustration.

"Belonging to what animal?" was my next question. Brian hesitated in responding, not looking directly at me. "B-r-i-a-n," I drug out his name, "tell me."

"It looks like a big cat of some kind. It's hard to tell through just pictures though," he finally said.

"A rogue Florida panther maybe?" I mused, turning thoughtful. I think I surprised Brian by not getting upset that it was one of my favorite types of animals that might be a killer. I knew it happened from time to time; that was just life.

"That was my first thought, but I'm not entirely sure," he confessed.

"Do you want me to take a look?" I volunteered. "Did the police leave any of the photos or copies of the medical examiner's reports?"

"Oh, sugar," Della interjected, "you don't want to see all that blood and gore."

_If she knew of the content of my nightmares she wouldn't have said that_, I thought wryly. _Reality can't be as bad as my active imagination, right? _"I can handle it if my expertise will be of help," I said instead.

Brian had a more practical approach than Della. "I was hoping that you'd be willing to take a look, Abs. I could really use your knowledge as a second opinion. I just didn't want to have to ask you to expose yourself to that kind of nightmarish stuff."

I tried not to smile at how close he'd come to my own thoughts about nightmares. "I appreciate your forethought, but I really don't mind helping out if I can."

"Let's go to my office, and I'll let you have at it," Brian suggested. "I don't want to upset our key investors with all of that."

I nodded in agreement. Brian went and finished up all the pleasantries with the board members. Once they were sent gently on their way, he left Toby, Keith, and Della to their work, while taking me to his office. As he rummaged through one of his filing cabinets, I glanced around the place.

He kept it neat and tidy. I had always liked that about Brian. Everything had its place with him, and he was very organized. I saw the picture of his mother and late father on his desk, Oliver and Alice Yates. He was their only child and their pride and joy. Brian's father, Oliver had been the zoo's curator up until he retired, and Brian took over his position. He died shortly after of a massive heart attack. Brian had taken his father's death hard, but was slowly adjusting to it. Brian looked a lot like his dad; same oval shaped face, same light blue-gray eyes, same short curly, light brown hair, same long, thin nose that widened at the end, and the same thin lips. He was attractive, but not my type. He had just broken up with his latest girl friend, so he wasn't attached to anyone right now. I felt bad that he couldn't find the right girl to settle down with like he wanted to.

"Okay, Abs, here you go," he dropped a file folder on his desk, right in front of me. "I'll warn you, it isn't pretty, just like Della said. If it wigs you out in anyway, you don't have to continue, alright?"

"Okay," I replied, opening the file and perusing the photographs.

The images were bad. I tried not to blanch or let my stomach turn over. They were just like my dreams. The blood was a bright, vivid red. Skin and tissue seemed everywhere. I could make out parts of hands, arms, legs, a mangled torso, and an almost severed head; the throat was completely torn out. I could see telltale signs of some long, dark hair. It looked like the body had been completely eviscerated with bits of stomach, intestines, and others organs strung out around the area. The chest cavity was torn all the way open with bits of lung ripped out. The heart was still there, but it had been shredded.

"My God," I whispered, truly horrified. The images in the photos were mirroring the ones in my dreams way too close for comfort. I suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded, the pounding in my head getting exponentially worse.

Brian could tell how disturbed I was. "Do you want some water? Do you want to continue? I'll understand if you don't."

"Water would be good," I said, tearing my eyes away from the gruesome images. "And, just give a minute. I'll wade through all this."

Brian bent down and disappeared behind his desk for a moment to get into the little refrigerator he kept near it. He came back up a minute later with a nice, cold bottle of water. He opened it and handed it to me. I took a big, long drink from it, letting the water settle me down. It tasted cool and refreshing. I breathed in and out deeply, and then set back to the nasty task at hand.

The police had provided pictures of all three victims, plus all the medical examiner's findings on all three bodies. They were in the process doing DNA analysis and as well as looking into dental records to identify who the bodies had been. Fingerprints were really iffy to get a match with. Only one had been identified— the second body found, a Sheryl Nightingale, who was a tourist on vacation from the state of Washington. She had been a beautiful red head with deep brown eyes. It pained my heart to see how that beauty had been destroyed.

I asked Brian for some measuring tools and for the use of his computer. He willingly obliged me. I wanted to calculate the bite radius of the visible teeth marks. The medical examiner had yet to do that, noting that he wanted an animal expert to do so. I did the same with the claw marks, getting an idea of what kind they were and the size of the animal itself. I plugged the numbers I came up with into a database I had access to so I could search for possible species' matches.

There had been saliva samples found, but not identified yet as well. The medical examiner had released them to Brian's custody, and they were now down in our lab to be tested. Everything I was learning was pointing to a big cat, just like Brian had initially thought. I was finding that it was an animal much bigger than a Florida panther, which was similar in size to a cougar, but smaller than a lion or a tiger. The saliva would be the key to determining the exact type of big cat it was. It was looking more and more like a leopard or a jaguar. That bothered me, a lot. Leopards were my soft spot.

_If some freak has tried to keep one as an exotic pet, and then tired of it, I will be really pissed, _I found myself thinking. People did that a lot, most not having the heart to kill the animal or not wanting to get caught having owned one illegally. So, they just let them run loose. Animal control had been contacting us more and more often in the last few years to help out in those kinds of situations. It was surprising how many people tried to keep lions, tigers, cougars, lynxes, jaguars, and leopards as pets. Some people tried to keep alligators and huge pythons as pets too. It was completely irresponsible, careless, and selfish, if you asked me.

_Could some incompetent circus or carnival management have had one of their animals escape? _Thatwas another thought that occurred to me. _If this animal had been seriously abused or severely mistreated, that might explain why it's just killing people and not eating them. Animals remember pain inflicted upon them and can be conditioned to hate. Or, could it be possible that some sadistic person has trained this animal to go out wantonly and kill? _I shivered at that terrifying thought.

Brian stayed with me as I did my research and analysis. He stood behind me for a while, and then he went and grabbed another chair to sit by me. I got so into what I was doing, I completely forgot about how rotten I felt and that my sister was waiting for me. When my cell phone rang, it made me jump. Ami was anxious to go home. She said Mom had tried to call me, but that it had gone right to my voicemail. My mom had scheduled my final wedding dress fitting for me.

"Listen, Ami," I said quickly. "You go home, and I'll have Ray come get me or have Brian take me home when I'm done here. The police have asked for our help with those horrid mutilation murders you've probably heard about on the news. It looks like it might be a big cat. I need to find out for sure. You understand, don't you?"

"It's already close to seven, Abby," she complained. "You need to get home and rest. You always push yourself too hard. It isn't good for you."

"I won't relax until I finish what I've started here anyway," I reasoned. "Once I've figured this out I'll rest double, okay?"

"A pit bull couldn't be more stubborn than you, Abby," Ami told me, sighing in frustration. "Ray'll want to come get you, so I'll let him know for you. That'll save you some time so you'll get done faster. He probably won't be happy with you either."

I knew she was right. "He'll have to deal with it for now. He knows me well enough that he'll understand."

"I hope you right, little sis," she told me. "You've got tunnel vision, but I love you anyway."

"Love you too, big sis," I tried to laugh it off. "Bye."

Brian insisted that I didn't have to stay any longer. "We can take it from here, Abs. Go home and rest."

"I want to go run the tests on the saliva myself. Then I'll go home," I said, not giving in. "I need to know if it really _is_ a leopard doing all this."

"Because it'll mean that it'll have to be hunted down and killed, right?" Brian inquired, also knowing me really well by now.

"Exactly. I know that it'll be necessary, but I absolutely hate the thought of it."

"Okay," he caved to me. "Go run the test, and then get the hell out of here."

"Yes, sir," I mocked in return.

"I'll get everything closed up, so all you have to do is walk out the door," he said as he escorted me out toward the elevator down to the lab. "Please just don't stay too late."

"Sounds good, and I won't."

"You better not. I'll suspend you if you do."

"I'm _so_ scared, Brian," I said sarcastically.

"You should be," he said, and then we laughed.

* * *

It was close to eleven when the masspectrometer kicked back the chemical compounds that made up the saliva the police had collected. I had ordered a full a DNA analysis, but that would take longer than I had tonight to complete. Besides, the DNA test would only confirm what kind of animal it was, and analyzing the chemicals that made up the saliva would work just as well for identifying what kind of animal we were dealing with. It wasn't as complicated trying to track down a specific person. I wasn't trying to find a DNA match to any particular individual.

When I compared the chemical makeup of the saliva samples to the animals I had in my database, it came back as being a leopard; mostly likely either African or Asian in origin. This wasn't good news, and it upset me greatly. Leopards were noted for the stealth with which they hunted. A person wouldn't know one was hiding in wait for them until it was too late. If one was loose in the swamp lands around the city, then it could be a real menace. I really didn't want to help hunt down such a majestic creature, but if it had a taste of human blood, then it had to be put down.

I rubbed my neck as I finished a full report on my findings for Brian to present to the police. I left it on his desk as I made to leave the building. I wanted a crack at the asshole that had so foolishly let the animal run wild in the first place. He was the one I wanted to hunt down and take out. The animal was most likely the more innocent being in this case.

I called Ray, who thankfully didn't chew me out, but I could tell he wanted to. He would be down in the next twenty minutes to a half an hour. He might be quicker, considering the time of night that it was, and that usually meant less traffic to fight. I was grateful for his patience with me. As I sat near the leopard forum while I waited for him, I tried to think of a way to make it up to him. I smiled as I thought of some of the more intimate ways I could do so.

Feeling antsy all of a sudden, I decided to walk around the rest of the zoo for a little bit. It was a beautiful night and some of the more shy animals were more active at this late time of day. It was kind of fun to have the zoo all to myself, expect for the few security guards that occasionally patrolled the area to keep an eye on things.

As I was walking down near the ape exhibits, a tall form appeared from out of the trees surrounding the walkway. It startled me, making my heart flutter. I had a pretty good idea who it was. Adrenaline started to flood through me, both from fear and from something else.

"I thought I told you that if you didn't leave me alone that I'd call the police," I stated as boldly as I could, hoping my voice didn't shake. I took my cell phone out of my pocket and flashed it in front of me. I suddenly wished I still had the tranquilizer gun on me or the prod as some kind of weapon to protect myself with. I had to leave them back in the zoo's main office; they weren't allowed to leave the premises.

"I had to try to get you to see logic and reason one last time," Valen said softly, continuing to approach me.

Half hidden in shadow, so that I could only see half of his face, he looked sexier than ever. His eyes seemed to have a soft glow to them in the semidarkness. "Just go away. I'm not going play your stupid game."

"This is not a game, Abigail. It's life and death. You need to know about your real family."

"I have a real family that I love very much. I don't want to tarnish that with some silly made up story of yours."

"We come from a very unique tribe of people, Abigail. You have a fantastic legacy to learn about. Let me expose you to it," he pressed, standing right in front of me now.

I started to dial nine-one-one on my phone, not wanting to deal with this anymore. I was not going to let him screw up my happy life; a life I had spent thirty years building and working towards. With an unnatural speed, Valen grabbed my wrist with one hand and plucked the phone out of my hand with the other. He turned it off and pocketed it.

"Don't worry you'll get it back, but you're going to face who you are, Abigail," Valen said with authority, backing me up against a tree, so that I was trapped between him and it. "I won't let you run away from it."

I went to scream for help, to try and attract a security guard, but Valen was quicker than humanly possible. He pinned me to the tree with his body, one hand covering my mouth, the other grabbing both of my wrists, holding them together so they were immobile. His strength was incredible; his hand like a vise, and his body was like an imposing wall. I couldn't move.

"I didn't want to do things this way, but you're forcing my hand," he said. "Don't fight what you feel. Don't fight the truth."

"What truth would that be?" I mumbled through his hand.

"That you and I aren't like other people," he said cryptically. "Just give me a chance to talk to you about everything. That's all I ask." He gave me a piercing look, and added, "If you promise not to cry out and run away, I'll let go of you."

I nodded in agreement, and he released me, backing off. Everything in me told me to flee and as fast as I could, but a morbid curiosity left me leaning against the tree. "So talk, but you'd better hurry. Ray'll be here soon."

"Your mother was from our clan, whereas, it was my father that was from it," he said quickly. "Both of them tried to live outside the confines of our people, but they failed. They fell in love with others not of our nature. They knew the danger, but love made them blind. As amorous love eventually leads to coupling, they let desire outstrip their common sense. They committed the biggest taboo of our kind. Somehow, they found the strength to spare the ones they truly loved, not killing them, but they had to leave immediately. Even though it was a onetime thing for both your mother with your father and for my father and my mother, both women ended up pregnant. Both decided to give us up, not being able to handle raising us. Then, it seems, all our parents died violent deaths, not being able to find any peace with themselves. I don't want the same to happen with you and me. Together we can keep that from happening."

"You speak like I should know what you're talking about," I complained, rubbing my wrists tenderly. His grip had been tight. Even though I was scared out of my mind, I stayed where I was. "Can't you just come out and tell me what you mean? Can you not be so vague?"

Valen took my phone out of his pocket and flipped it around in one of his hands, playing with it. "I don't know quite how to say it without you thinking I'm totally crazy," he said, losing some of his confidence all of a sudden.

"Well, I'll save you the trouble, because I already think you're nuttier than a fruitcake. Just spit it out."

He smiled at my words, before he went on, obviously with a different track than he originally was going to use. "You mother's name was Valerie Guiot. A beautiful blonde and green-eyed woman—a lot like you. Her family consisted of circus people, just like mine. She got tired of the circus life and ran away. She wanted to make her own way in the world, doing what she wanted to do, not what her family had done for generations."

I was spellbound at what he knew. I didn't know if any of what he was saying was true, but it fascinated me. "Go on," I prompted when he paused. I found myself stepping closer to him. "What did Valerie do in the circus?"

"She and her parents worked with the lions and tigers," he said dramatically, widening, and then narrowing his eyes, in that sexy way he did.

My mouth dropped open. "You made that up didn't you?" I accused him. "When you learned what I do for a living."

"No, Abigail," he insisted, closing the gap between us. "That's why I was so pleased to hear what you did for a living. You _are_ your mother's daughter in that regard. It was more proof you were who I thought you were."

_Do I really get my love of animals from my birth mother? _I wondered. I wanted to ask him more questions, but I got lost in his glassy-blue eyes once more. His hands gently cupped my face, after he slipped my phone into my pants pocket. His thumbs stroked my cheeks. I closed my eyes at the softness of his touch. The tingling sensation was back, starting in my stomach and radiating upward and downward throughout my body. At first, I thought he was going to kiss me as he leaned into me, but instead he nuzzled my cheek with first his nose and then his own cheek. He rubbed his chin and cheek the length of mine, down my neck, and back up, letting our lips brush briefly.

I couldn't stop the thrills of delight that flooded the every nerve in my body. Again, it was like nothing I'd ever experienced, but it felt damn good. I was overcome with the desire to mirror his movements, so I did. Standing up on tiptoe, I nuzzled his cheek with my nose first and then my own cheek. I rubbed my chin and cheek the length of his, down his neck, and then back up, brushing his lips with mine. By this time, I was buzzing with ripples of ecstasy. Bit and pieces of the erotic dream I'd had about Valen mingled in with what I was feeling right now, intensifying everything.

Valen took full advantage of my reciprocation, capturing my lips with his own, kissing me. It was the most heat filled kiss I'd ever been given. My knees buckled, but Valen slipped his arms around me, catching me, and bringing my body flush with his. Wanton desire was starting to take hold of me, encouraging me to run my own hands up his back. One hand found its way to slide through his dark hair. I couldn't believe how excited my hormones had become suddenly. It felt so good.

One of the ape's gawking cries at our display of passion broke the spell. Reality fell down around me like a bulldozer breaking through a house. I ripped myself away from Valen, shocked and appalled by what I'd just done. I turned and ran away from him as quickly as I could. I was aghast and petrified at losing total control of myself like that.

Valen wasn't going to back off this time. He ran after me. I tore down the zoo's pathways, trying to ditch him. I turned tight corners and darted into narrow lanes, but he stayed right behind me. My breath was ragged from fear and exertion; my heart pounding hard in my chest. I felt exhilarated and terrified at the same time. I ran blindly on, right into a dead end.

Then I noticed a tree off to my left and decided to go for it. Without much effort or thought, I sprang up and into it. I climbed up a few more branches, trying to find a safe haven. Once I felt steady, I turned to look down to see where Valen was and looked right into his chest. Somehow, he'd followed me up into the tree.

"Do you see now?" he asked huskily. "We _are _the same."

I didn't want to understand. "What? What are you talking about?" Then I noticed his eyes. It was darker, up here in the tree, but I could make out his brilliant blue eyes very clearly. They were much more intense in color and dilated funny, just like mine had been at the dance club. His pupils were vertical slits, just like a cat's. "What's up with your eyes?" I couldn't help but then ask.

"Same thing that's going with yours," was his answer.

I shook my head, not wanting to hear what he'd said. I remembered the surreal look of my eyes in the club's restroom mirror. _How could they look the same as Valen's do now?_ _What the hell is going on here? What is he doing to me? What is he? What am I? How are we connected? Is he telling the truth? Are we from the same ethnic group that has some kind of weird mutated genome? Is this another one of my dreams or is this really happening? Oh God!_

"Don't fight it," he told me. "With me you don't have too." He again pulled me into his arms and rubbed his cheek against mine.

"Stop!" I shouted, but I really didn't want him to. Against all reason, I let him nuzzle and rub against me, returning the gestures when he paused. Finally, I made myself fight through the pleasurable sensations. "No. Stop this," I hissed. "Stop!"

"Abby? Abigail? Where are you?" Ray's voice hollered out from down below. "I'm coming! Hold on!" He must have heard my shouts.

"Let go of me!" I then yelled at Valen and struggled against him.

"You know now what I've been trying to tell you," he said, not letting go of me. "Why do you persist in denying it?"

Instead of answering him, I cried out, "Ray! Help me! Help me! It's Valen! He's here!" Then I stomped on Valen's instep with my booted foot.

Valen growled low in his throat— a frightening, yet breathtaking sound—and flinched in pain. I pulled away from him, breaking his grip, and clamoring down out of the tree. I got to the last branch, but realized it was quite far from the ground. _How had I gotten up here? _I shouted for Ray again, and he found me, looking up at me from down below.

"How did you get up there?" he asked, perplexed.

"I just jumped, I guess," I said hurriedly. "Valen's here in the tree too. Please help me down, quickly. I have to get away from him."

"How in the hell—," Ray started to angrily exclaim as he reached up to catch me as I jumped down, but then he saw Valen making his way down. "Hurry, Abby," he then commanded me.

Ray didn't have to ask me twice. I launched out of the tree, and Ray caught me by my shoulders, and then set me down on the ground. He grabbed my hand and pulled me swiftly away from the tree. Valen also launched himself out of the tree, but he had no one to catch him. He didn't seem to need anyone, however, as he landed gracefully on the ground in a crouch. When he looked up at me, his eyes were still feral. It made me fear that mine were too. I closed my eyes and buried myself against Ray.

Ray took this as me being overcome with terror, which was very close to the truth—just not for the reasons Ray thought. "Stay away from her you bastard!" he ordered Valen. Ray pulled me close, trying to protect me. "Security's on its way." Then he asked me, "Are you all right, Abby? Did he hurt you?" I just clung to him in answer.

Valen stood back up, as I peeked at him. His movements were so sleek. "She'll kill you if you marry her, you know," Valen taunted, all his arrogance and slyness back. "She's only safe with me."

"I don't know what kind of sick freak you are, Gallier or what kind of drugs you're on, but you're not going to drag _my _Abby into it," Ray said, rising to the challenge, having noticed the strangeness of Valen's eyes. "You're not to come near her, _ever_ again. I'll make sure that you can't touch her. I'll have the law on my side, plus I'll invest in some private sources of protection if I have to."

Valen watched me, shivering in Ray's arms, pretending not to look at him. He looked directly at me, his eyes still full of desire and animalistic power. "Is that really your choice, Abigail? You want to bring death to the one you claim to love?"

I refused to answer him, turning fully into Ray's chest to not look at him. "I think she's made it very clear what her choice is, Gallier. Now leave her alone!" Ray demanded.

"She's not what she appears to be, Raymond," Valen continued to taunt. "She's a killer. By keeping us apart you'll seal your fate."

I felt Ray blanch, and then start to shake in anger. "You've completely lost it, haven't you, Gallier? You're off your rocker. I don't know why you've fixated on Abby as part of whatever delusion you're suffering from, but it stops now." As Ray spoke, two security guards approached, and these ones had guns drawn.

Valen looked at me one last time realizing his moment was up, as I peeked at him again, before he disappeared into the shadows, as if he'd never been there. "You've been warned. Death will now follow both of you," he called from the darkness. Then he was gone, off into the night.

I clung to Ray, shaken to my core. I didn't want to believe what he'd been talking about, but something deep down told me that I had to. All that had just happened, what little Valen had hinted at, and what I had seen was starting to sink in. _I'm not a killer, _I fumed internally. _I wouldn't hurt a fly if I could help it. I'm not a violent person. I love Ray. How could I hurt him, let alone murder him? _I knew that that's what Valen had been implying, that somehow I would change into something else and kill Ray because he wasn't like me. _What am I? What curse did my birth family leave me with? _Even though I didn't want to face the truth, I knew now that I had to. It was time for me to pull my head out of the sand and find out where in the hell I came from.

TBC…

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Things are heating up. What's the verdict on this chapter? Still interesting? Let me know.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** This chapter is for Abby to get started looking into her birth family and to show her relationship with her adoptive mom. Also, I wanted to deal with her earlier "health issue". I decided to end the chapter with a bang and a little homage to the 1982 _Cat People_ movie. See if you can pick up on what I'm trying to mirror, and let me know what you think of the idea. Thanks again to all of you who are leaving reviews. You guys rock! Thanks also to my lovely beta reader, RadcliffePotter, for all her help.

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**Chapter 8**

Ray convinced me to file formal charges against Valen for harassment and assault with the police. He also got a high-powered attorney friend of his, Philip Monroe, to start drafting documents for a restraining order against him. Ray began to look into private security as well. I was glad and upset by all of it at the same time. I loved Ray for wanting to protect me and keep a psychopath like Valen away from me, but it bugged me that it had to be done at all.

I had really hurt myself by running away from Valen and jumping up into the tree. I ended up reopening some of the incisions from my bone marrow sampling procedure. I had to go back into the hospital to have them stitched up again. My muscles around my hip and knee ached something fierce. I was on bed rest the whole next day. It sucked to say the least, and I wasn't a happy camper.

My mom and Ami were mortified to learn about "my stalker" as Valen was being dubbed. Ray and I hadn't said anything to them up until now about the situation. Ami lectured me for a good hour about it. I probably deserved it. Nothing about how I had acted around Valen had been right. There was something about him that made my common sense mute and my intelligence fly out the window. He was a crazy freak—a nut job—besides being extremely dangerous. I was afraid of him, but drawn to him at the same time. It didn't make any sense to me. If we really did have the same ethnic origins, that _might _explain my attraction to him, but I was just very confused about it all.

I decided I needed to have a serious and heart-to-heart talk with my mom about my contradictory feelings surrounding Valen, and more importantly, about my birth parents. I needed to find out for myself what the truth was. Denial only worked for so long. Something was up with me, and only looking into my past or my birth family's past could help me figure it out.

After eating dinner in bed and having rested all day, I called my mother in to talk to me. She was sweet, bringing in some chamomile tea when she came. Of all the people I thought she would be the one to really lecture me about how I had handled—or not handled—the issues I'd been facing the last few weeks, but she hadn't.

We chatted briefly about the weather, how I was feeling, what my dad was up to, and how much longer she and my sister were going to stay in New Orleans. Then I got up the courage to start asking her some more pointed and serious questions.

"Can I ask you something, Mom?"

"Sure, sweetheart. What's on your mind?"

"What do you know about my birth parents?"

My mom shifted a little uncomfortably in the big, soft chair she was sitting in bedside the bed. "Not a whole lot, sugar, but I'll tell you what little a do know if you want me to. I guess you're finally ready to go down that road, huh?"

"Only because of this recent health scare," I replied. "I thought it might be helpful to find out if anything genetic could account for what's happening to me."

"Is that the only reason you're interested now, Abigail?"

I could never get anything passed my mom, not matter what my age. I smiled nervously, setting my tea cup down in its little saucer on the nightstand beside the bed. "Well…," I hesitantly tried to say, but faltered.

"Does it having anything to do with all the ideas that your stalker was dangling in front of you?" Mom asked, right to the point.

I had told her more of the story than anyone else. She was the one person I could tell anything to with no fear of it changing how she felt about me. I didn't go into all the intimate details, but I had told her how he'd tempted me with information about my birth family. I knew her love was unconditional, even when she disapproved of my actions. "It might," I half-admitted.

"I never got the opportunity to meet your birth mother or father," Mom began, "but the adoption agency had a small profile on your birth mother at least. She was twenty-one, unwed, and a ballet dancer, I believe. She couldn't fulfill her dream of being a master ballerina and raise a child too. At least her morals wouldn't let her not have you. She had enough principle to carry you to term and give you up, instead of the alternative."

"What was her name?"

"Diana Rousseau, I think…but that was what she used as a stage name," Mom said thoughtfully. "She changed it from what it was originally."

"Do you know what she changed it from?"

"I honestly can't remember, sweetheart. That may be something you'll have to research." When I gave a frustrated sigh at her answer, she added, "I'm sorry, Abby. It's been a long time. I can find out for you if it really means that much."

"I'm not upset with you, Mom," I tried to reassure her. "It's just that Valen—the stalker—," I corrected myself, "mentioned something about a Valerie Guiot, and I wanted to see if he had told me the truth or if it was something he'd made up."

My mom reached out and patted my hand. "Still Little-Miss-Impatient I see," she replied, understanding me. "You want confirmation right now. You don't want to have to wade through all the paperwork. I don't really blame you, but you can't let that man get to you like that."

"That's something else I want to confess to you," I said softly. "I'm finding myself…conflicted."

"About what, dear?"

I sat up a little more in the bed carefully, adjusting the pillows behind me. I picked at the embroidered flowers on my pajama top, floundering on what to say next. Finally I settled on, "About 'that man'."

"He both scared you to death and excited you at the same time, didn't he?" Mom asked, surprising me with her intuition.

I blushed deeply with embarrassment. "How did you know that? I haven't said anything about it before."

"It's all in how you talk about him, dear. You detest him, but are fascinated by him too."

"Why _is_ that, Mom?"

"Because he has the bad boy appeal it sounds like," she answered me. "As women we want the safe, sure bet of a man to marry and have a family with, but we can't sometimes help get all hot and bothered over the hint of danger some men seem to carry around with them. They seem more sensual, more carnal, and manlier. They emanate strength and power that's very attractive at first glance."

I was stunned hear her to talk like that. I suddenly wondered if she had a bad boy in her past, before my dad and hadn't told me about him. It sounded like she was talking from experience. "But, I've never been drawn to that kind of guy before," I protested. "I'm getting married in a month, Mom. I have a wonderful match in Ray. Why would I suddenly want to throw all that by the wayside and be so compelled by another man who's totally not like Ray?"

"You're feeling like you're betraying your love for Ray, don't you, sweetheart?" she answered my question with one of her own. Again, she knew exactly how I was feeling.

I gulped as tears came to my eyes. "Yes, I do, Mom. I lose control of my rationality around Valen. He gets under my skin like no man ever has. The scary thing is that deep down I like how he makes me feel. I love Ray dearly, but…"

My mom came and sat next to me on the bed, putting an arm around me. "But something's missing isn't it?"

"What?" I asked in shock.

"It's why it's taken you so long to finally decide to settle down with Ray," Mom explained. "Honey, Ray's a wonderful man, and I really like him. He's kind, caring, successful, and stable, but he isn't your right fit. I've thought that for a long time, but chalked it up to a mother's feelings of wanting what will make her daughter happy. You're content with Ray, but you're not truly happy with him, am I right? You're comfortable around him. He's safe territory, but not what you really want in a man. Every time you've gotten out of a serious relationship that hasn't gone well, or that's disappointed you in some way, you've had Ray to fall back on. He doesn't really fit your ideal man though does he?"

I just looked at my mom. She was putting into words what I'd been subconsciously stewing and fussing about for years now. She was right, but I hadn't realized how true all she was saying was until I actually heard her say it. I was settling with Ray. I did love him, but not the way a wife should really and truly love her husband. There was nothing wrong with him; he should have been the perfect, ideal person to want to marry. But, my mom hit the nail on the head when she said that something was missing from our relationship; at least, from my point of view it was. I didn't know what it was exactly, but whatever it was that I needed, it wasn't quite there.

"Oh, Mom," I whispered in anguish. "I'm such a horrible person."

My mom pulled me all the way into an embrace. "Hush now, child. No you're not. You just don't know what you want. You thought you did, but all that you've experienced lately is opening your eyes to that fact. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Ray's a finished product," she then expounded for me, "so he's looking for someone he needs to help complete. He thinks you're that type of woman. You aren't, Abby. You've tried to become that for him, someone he can teach and guide, but you really don't need that. You have always been Little-Miss-Independent, and you've attempted to change yourself for Ray to become Little-Miss-Dependent. That's definitely not you, my dear. You need to be with a man that will let you be yourself. You need a man that needs you. I'm not saying you need to go out and find a man with massive problems and try to fix him, because you can't change someone. God knows your father has taught me that. I've had to come to accept him for all he is and all he is not, but together we've taught each other things that only we could teach each other. You need to find someone who needs what your nurturing nature has to offer. Ray doesn't need that."

I shifted in her arms to look at her, not believing what I was hearing. "How long have you been wanting to say this to me?" I had a feeling that it had been a very long time. "And why haven't you said anything earlier?"

She smiled kindly at me, wiping a tear from my cheek away. "You know me. I don't like to rock the boat. I'm not a control freak—well not when it comes to how my children want to live their lives. I'm here when you need me, but I'm not going to butt into your affairs unsolicited. I knew you'd figure it all out eventually. Although," she then joked, "I didn't think it would take you _this_ long. Tortoises move faster than you, my dear."

I laughed despite myself, and I then a sobered up quickly. "What do I do now?"

My mom hesitated in answering this question. "What does your heart tell you to do?"

That was a cop out, and we both knew it. "My heart doesn't know what it wants, Mom," I came back at her with, "that's the problem. The wedding is just under a month away. Should I push it back, until I can come to a clear decision?"

"Is that fair to Ray?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do, honey," Mom admonished me. "You need to be upfront with him about how you really feel. Don't keep stringing him along."

"I'm not—I haven't—," I blustered. "I _do_ love him, Mom."

"It's up to you, Abigail. Soon or later you are going to have to talk to him about what's going inside of you. He'll be hurt either way. That's inevitable, but you need to decide the extent of the damage."

"You act like I'm not going to marry him at _all_," I said defensively, pulling away. "I very likely _will_ choose to do just that."

"I just want you to do what will make you happy. If, after some soul searching, you decide marrying Ray will make you happy, then that'll be wonderful, but if not…" she let the rest of her statement die.

I finally looked at her again, tears fresh in my eyes. "I know, Momma, I know." My voice shook as I spoke.

She hugged me again and just held me for a very long time, patting my hair soothingly. Then she said, "If you are feeling up to it tomorrow, we can start looking more into your birth family if you want to. Maybe you'll find some answers through learning about your past and where you come from."

I snuggled against my mother. "Sounds good, but I know where I come from. You and dad and my siblings in _this_ family are where I come from. You guys gave me my foundation. The other stuff will just be background noise."

"But it might give you some understanding of your history and your heritage that affects you without you even being aware of it. It might help you figure out what you really want," Mom said sagely.

"It's worth a shot," I hiccupped. "I just hope it doesn't misfire."

* * *

A few days later, I found myself up to my elbows in paperwork. My mom and I had gone up to Baton Rouge to have my adoption records unsealed. For some reason we were having to go through a lot of red tape to get it to happen. I was of age—by a long shot—and could get some basic information like the first name of my birth mother, a general description of her, date and place of adoption, general medical history of my birth mother at the time of the adoption, and her general education level. The only thing was that my birth father wasn't identified in any way. Any identifying information was protected and could only be accessed by permission of a court order, hence the paperwork.

All that my mom had told me seemed to be accurate about my birth mother. She gave me up in Shreveport, Louisiana, just this side of the border with Texas. Her name was Diana, and she was studying to be a ballerina. Her brief medical history wasn't very informative; there were no notations of any unusual illness or disease. I couldn't find anything listed that could explain my weird health issues. The health records were not up-to-date; only her general health history up to the point of the adoption was available. She could've developed symptoms similar to mine later in her life, however. She was only twenty-one when she had me. I needed a court order to delve any deeper. It seemed that my birth mother had done everything she could to keep her real identify hidden and protected. She had refused to disclose who the father was, and it didn't appear that he'd ever tried to find out about me.

It was all so frustrating and depressing. I kept wondering if any of the bullshit Valen had told me was true or not. I was obsessing over it, actually. I'd been doing searches about circuses and carnivals, looking for anything to do with a Valerie Guiot or her family name, without a lot of luck. I was also looking into Valen's family name, Gallier, in association with the same trade. I did have one interesting thing popped up.

There had been a Gallier family that had own and operated a circus throughout the South starting back in 1922 up until 1965. It shut down in 1965 after its two surviving owners, Felicia and Carl Gallier shot themselves in an apparent double-suicide. It had been their father that had started the circus. They had had two young children at the time of their deaths that became wards of the state, Paul and Irena. They'd both gone into foster care. It was really sad and made me even more depressed.

The phone rang, interrupting my languishing thoughts. I answered with a tired, "Hello?"

"Miss Laroche, this is Dr. Gerard. How are you doing this morning? I was hoping you'd be up. I have the results back from the bone marrow tests we ran, and I knew you'd want to hear them right away," the doctor said, all in a rush.

It was about seven o'clock in the morning; I'd gotten up early because I hadn't been sleeping well. No nightmares, just not being able to relax and rest. "I'm doing all right, Doctor," I replied. _It was about damn time he called me! _I fumed inside. _How long does it take to figure out if I have a death sentence or not? _I always thought of the worst case scenario first.

"Are you behaving, resting, and not jumping up into any more trees?" he asked lightly.

He'd obviously heard from the ER that I had to come in and have my incisions stitched back up. "I'm doing my best," I said dryly. "What's the news?" I was anxious for him to get to the point.

"Well, I have very good news for you," he informed me. "All your samples came back normal. We couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. No signs of any disease or infection."

"Really?"

"The hematologist confirmed it."

"Then what's wrong with me?" I demanded, relieved, but still worried at the same time.

"At this point, we feel that you must have had some type of infection that your immune system overreacted to. Once it was dealt with, your body recovered. We want to continue to monitor you and check your blood every week for a few months, to make sure the infection _is _gone and that another one doesn't come along that will cause a similar reaction," he told me.

_Great, more tests, more poking and prodding, _I thought glumly, but it was nice to hear that I didn't have bone marrow cancer or something like that. "Do you think I'm in danger of anymore seizures?"

"If your body raises its temperature too high, you could have another seizure," he warned. "Just watch it closely. If it starts to go up, come in right away. That way, we can prevent it from getting to that stage. I'm going to transfer you to my medical assistant and have her set up the weekly appointments with you to test your blood. If you have any questions feel free to call me."

"So that's it? I'm really okay?"

"You seem have an overactive immune system in this case, and that _can_ cause issues, but it may just be a onetime incident. That's why we want to continue to monitor it for a while. Basically, your overall health is very good," he reassured me.

"Thank you," I said, really meaning it. "That's a load off my mind. I promise to faithfully check in and do as you ask."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that. You're very welcome. I'm only trying to help you, Miss Laroche. Just take care of yourself."

"I will. Thank you again," I said, and then he transferred me to his medical assistant to arrange times each week for me to come in and get my blood tested.

_Finally, something to be happy about, _I thought to myself. _So much for Valen's assumption that my body's going through some sort of change. What an asshole! Ray's right. Valen's just trying to pull me into some twisted delusion. He's fucking nuts!_

_Then why are you so drawn to him? Why can you not stop thinking about him? Why does he intrigue you so much? Why are you spending so much time looking up people with his last name? _a little voice in the back of my mind piped up.

"Because I'm an idiot," I said out loud. "I'm through with him and this." And with that, I exited my search and shut down the computer to prove it.

The phone rang again. Curious, I looked at the caller id this time. It was Brian's cell number. I picked it up quickly. I was concerned that something might be up with Jane, complications with her pregnancy. "Hey, Brian," I said.

"Oh, good, Abs, you're up, we need your help." He sounded out of breath to me.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong with Jane?"

"No, no, it's not Jane. We have another situation that Animal Control needs our help with. Are you feeling good enough to meet me down at the Riverwalk Marketplace?"

"Where?"

"Have you turned on your television this morning, Abs?" Brian asked instead of answering my question. "It's all over the news. There's a big cat hold up in the Victoria's Secret store."

"A what?" I exclaimed, scrambling around to get to Ray's lavish living room with its big screen television. I hunted all over for the remote, finally finding it under a couch cushion, and flick on the T.V.

I scanned for a local news station, and there it appeared on WWL Channel 4. As I was turning up the volume to hear the report, Brian said, "It looks like it is a freakin' black leopard, Abs!"

Channel 4 was showing a live video feed from the mall at Riverwalk. It was still a little dark, as the sun was just staring to rise. _"…the store manager came in earlier this morning to get ready for the launch of a new line of Victoria's Secret bras and underwear, when he was greeted by the roar of a wild animal."_

They then showed the store manager; a tall, bookish looking man, in a nice sport coat and slacks. _"I unlocked the back door, like I always do, and when I opened it, something big and black threw itself against the door and let out a hellish roar. I relocked the door and called the police."_

The screen flipped back to the live scene outside the mall. I could see a number of police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck. I wished they'd show the inside of the mall, near the store, but of course that would be considered too dangerous for the news people.

The reporter went on, _"After the store manager called the police, they discovered that some type of large predatory cat—a leopard or jaguar of some kind—was locked inside the store. When police approached the metal gate where the store enters out into the mall, the animal threw itself recklessly at it in full attack mode. The gate held, but we have some pretty shaken up police officers out here this morning. Animal Control and New Orleans Zoo experts are being called in to deal with the situation as we speak…"_

"…Abs, you there?" Brian was saying in my ear.

"Uh, yeah," I stuttered. "I'll be there as soon as I can. How did it get in there?"

"We have no friggin' clue, Abs," Brian admitted. "It had to have gotten in during the day, but you'd think that someone would have noticed that. Unless someone snuck it in later and just left it there."

"That someone would have to have had access to the store," I added. "I don't think a customer could sneak an animal like that in with someone else noticing either. Are the police looking into that?"

"I'll check with them, but I'm sure they are. Listen, are you really up for this?" he asked me hesitantly.

"I'm gonna have to be," I replied. "You need me on this one." I was racing around the manor, throwing on my zoo uniform, looking for my boots, and gathering my keys, as I talked with Brian.

"I've been thinking that this might be the same animal involved in the mutilation murders," he then said candidly.

"Just like people, Brian, animals can be innocent until proven guilty," I tried to defend the animal. "Are the police actually calling them 'murders'?"

"Well, no but —."

"Then don't assume anything at this point, 'kay, Brian? We can tranquilize the cat, compare bite radius, length of claws, and even its DNA to see if this is the same animal. Until then we treat it like any other abandoned wild animal."

"You think this incident is just a coincidence? That three bodies that have been found that you've concluded are most likely the work a leopard or jaguar, and now one pops up here in town?" Brian asked me.

He had me there. "You know how I feel about coincidences—," I started but, Brian finished for me.

"—there are no such things," he said. "So we might have our animal. That's all I'm trying to point out."

"We can't go in there under that assumption. Not yet," I argued. "We need go in there nab it, and then examine it. We may even need to help it."

"I know you want to capture and treat this animal, but what if it's beyond our help? What if it's rabid or diseased in some way? What if it's just totally out of control? Are you prepared to put it down?" Brian came back at me with.

I wanted to glare at him, but I couldn't through the phone. "Of course," I snapped. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just know you, Abby, and I know your soft spot for big cats," Brian said quietly. "I just don't want this to upset you and affect your already fragile state."

"Fragile state?" I huffed. "I'm fine. I can handle this."

"It's just that you've been through a lot lately, and I don't want to make things worse," Brian explained. "But I do really need your help with this one."

"And you've got it," I affirmed. "I'll assess everything as scientifically as possible. I won't let my emotions get in the way. I won't let whatever outcome comes to pass upset me." _Yeah, right._

"If you're sure?"

"Positive." _No, not really._

"Then I'll see you in fifteen?"

"You bet."

"Thanks, Abs."

"No problem," I finished and hung up.

I put my hair up in a loose pony tail, added a dab of makeup, and finished dressing. I also called Ray and told him what was going on. He didn't like any of it, but he wisely didn't fight me on it. He said he would be available if I needed him. I let him know about what Dr. Gerard had told me about my bone marrow test results. That made him feel much better. I left a note for my mom and sister, letting them know where I'd gone off to, since they were still asleep.

Then I remembered I needed to turn off the T.V. I quickly made my way back into the living room and had to hunt for the remote again. Once I found it, I aimed it at the T.V, but stopped as I caught the female reporter talking to one of the police officers to have first come upon the scene.

_"It's really a beautiful creature,_ he was saying_, "but boy is it mean. It's huge too. We realized right away that we needed to call in the experts. That this was more than we were trained to handle."_

_"Can you describe the animal for our viewers?" _the woman reported then asked.

_"I don't know what kind of big cat it is, but I think it what they call a—'black panther',"_ the policeman struggled to say. _"It doesn't look sick or starved or anything like that. It's just madder than a wet hen." _

"You would be too if you were locked up in a mall store," I said to the T.V. "And panther is a misnomer you idiot. It can refer to many different types of wild cats." It frustrated me that most lay people couldn't get that right. A black panther could be a leopard, a jaguar, or even a cougar.

I was hoping against hope that this wasn't the big cat responsible for the mutilated women's bodies. That would break my heart, despite what I'd said to Brian. If this _was_ a black leopard or jaguar, it would be fascinating to house one and observe it. They were rarer than normal colored cats: one in five them had a chance of turning out to be melanistic.

A melanistic morph of the leopard's or jaguar's coloring could occur making them black in color, but upon closer inspection, a person could still make out the rosette markings, hidden in the darker coloring. This was true particularly in mountainous areas and rain forests. The black color had been found to be heritable and caused by a recessive gene. Although the benefits of melanism were difficult to interpret, it was thought to serve as a better camouflage in the rainforest habitat of some leopards. Genetic research had found that there were four independent origins for melanism in cats, suggesting that there could be an adaptive advantage for it. Another possibility was that the color variation was an adaptation to an epidemic, because genes causing melanism could also affect the immune system. The darker coloring may have come with a stronger one.

In Africa say, black leopards were much less common, because melanism isn't an adaptive advantage on the savanna. Dark coloration provides poor camouflage and makes hunting difficult in such wide open, grassland areas. In dense forest surroundings, however, it was a much more appropriate adaptive advantage.

I loved the leopard most of all the big cats. I had since I was little, and black ones were my most favorite of all. In all my dealings with the Amur leopards, I'd yet to get to handle a black one. This was an exciting opportunity, if it didn't turn out to be a deadly one. Once I got in my red Jeep Wrangler, it took all I could not to floor the gas pedal to get to the Riverwalk Marketplace.

_Maybe this could be the beginning of a new adventure, _I thought as I drove. _I'd prefer that to the alternative: a tragic ending to what probably had been a troubled life._

TBC…

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Wow! What will Abby find when she gets to the mall? How did this chapter hit you? Let me know.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** This chapter deals with the dilemma of safely capturing and removing the black leopard from the mall. Again, I've kind of taken points from the movie, but put my own personal spin and touch on how this particular capture goes down. Let me know what you think. Do you like my take? Thanks to all of you who are sticking with this story and are enjoying it. I appreciate you guys so much. Thanks also to RadcliffePotter for beta reading for me fantastically once more.

**Rated T:** Mainly for language

* * *

**Chapter 9  
**

When I arrived at the Riverwalk Marketplace, it was a zoo; no pun intended. All of the police and emergency vehicles, all of the media outlets, and all of the animal control people filled the mall parking lot. Plus, there were all of the general public gawkers that had come down to the mall to try and get a look at what was going on. I was allowed to pull around the back, once I'd identified myself. Brian was waiting for me at one of the mall's back entrances. He had Keith with him. There was a tall and burly looking man with short dark hair in an olive green animal control uniform standing next to them. He had scruffy stubble trying to grow into a beard. Another olive green uniformed animal control employee was talking with the police and mall security. He was a large, African-American man with arm muscles as thick as my waist. His head was almost shaved bald, and his face was clean shaven.

_Animal control apparently brought out the "big guns" for this crisis_, I thought wryly. I smiled at them as Brian greeted me.

"The police and mall security have been able to get a feed into the store's security video," he informed me without much to-do. "That way we can have a look at what the situation is like without having to go in there and stir the animal up until we're ready to take action."

"Sounds good," I told him.

"This is Jeff Gilroy and Turner Johannsen from New Orleans's Animal Control," Brian said, introducing the tall, burly, white guy and the hulking African-American guy respectively. "Guys, this is our vet and expert on large predatory animals, Abigail Laroche."

They each shook my hand; both dwarfing my little one in their huge ones. Gilroy stared at me for a long moment, which made me uneasy. It was like he was sizing me up.

Johannsen was more cordial than that. "Nice to meet you," he said in a deep voice.

"Likewise," I answered. Then I turned back to Brian. "Who's got the lead?"

"We do, since most of the time animal control just deals with the regular run-of-the-mill critters; maybe a gator or python here and there, but nothing like this animal." Brian replied. "Jeff and Turner are here to assist us." They both nodded together.

Brian took me over to a mobile command center the police had set up. It was a huge RV that they could work out of out in the field. A tech met us and guided us to a good-sized monitor that was set up to take the video feed from the Victoria's Secret security cameras. The store had four, placed strategically around the store. The monitor was spilt-screened so we could see the view from all four cameras. The cameras must have been state-of-the art because they were in living color, and from the lighting the police had been able to get in place, we could see things very clearly.

It was a few minutes until the animal came into range of the camera at the front of the store. When I saw it, I forgot to breathe; it was such a stunning sight. I was hypnotized. The cat _was_ huge, just like the police had told the reporter on the news. "I don't think I've ever seen a leopard—I can tell that's what it is just by looking at it—that big before. It's easily one hundred seventy to two hundred pounds. It has to be a male—females don't get that large. Most males are around one fifty to one seventy on the heavy side. This guy'd make Tarzan look small, and Tarzan's not a small leopard," I commented as I watched.

It was really pissed off too. It paced back and forth in obvious agitation, growling, snarling, roaring, and screaming the only way a leopard could. Its ears were completely laid down against its head. It bared fang constantly. It also depressed its ribcage between its shoulder blades so that they stuck out. All these were classic signs that it was feeling threatened. It ran at the gate, throwing itself against it in a frenzied attempt to escape. The whole structure of the gate shook violently. It held, but the large cat was starting to wear its supports down. If the leopard could keep up its full barrage, the metal would eventually buckle under its assault.

"This is _not_ good," I couldn't help but say. "That animal's going to seriously hurt itself by doing that. We need to tranq it quick and get it out of there."

"It's going ape-shit," Gilroy commented in a deep, but more gravelly voice than that of his partner. For some reason, it sounded sinister to me. _Now why would you think that? _I chided myself.

I gave him an annoyed glare. "It just doesn't like being confined in there. It feels trapped. I can get it to calm down."

Gilroy looked me like I'd gone ape-shit. "You, little lady, aren't going in there," he informed me.

"I'm the expert on these kinds of animals here, Mr. Gilroy," I admonished him. "I know what I'm doing."

"Abs," Brian broke in. "I don't feel good about this one. Maybe Keith and I should be the ones to tranq it."

I turned to him, feeling my ire rising. "Who's the one you call in to get Tarzan out of one of his moods, huh? Who's the one you call into get Austin to come down out of the tree when he doesn't want to? Who's the one that can get Jane or Rose to behave when they aren't?"

Keith smiled at me, getting my point. "You," he said, trying not to laugh at my attitude. He took off his zoo ball cap and ran his hand through his short blond hair, and then replaced the hat on his head.

"Damn right it's me. So that means you _men_ should back off and let me at least try to calm the animal so I can get a decent shot off at it with the tranq gun. That gate isn't going to hold much longer. If it gets out, then we'd have to track it through the entire mall. And that, gentlemen—," I paused for dramatic effect, "—will be an enormous pain in the ass."

"What if it gets through the gate while you're standing outside trying to tranq it?" Brian argued.

"I'm not going to seem like as much of a threat to it as one of you guys will," I came back with. "Sending in Hercules here—," I pointed to Johannsen, who grinned at me, "—is just going to make it feel more threatened."

"You're something else, girl," Gilroy told me. "I say we let her do it, just to see what happens."

Brian gave Gilroy a disgusted look. "Abby, you're as stubborn as a jackass," he cursed at me, "but I'm not going to give into you this time. You and Turner will stay out here and help us by observing the camera feed. We'll communicate by walkie-talkie. After the cat's down, _then_ I'll let you take a look at it." He then handed me a walkie-talkie.

I was floored by Brian stonewalling me; he didn't usually do that. "Come on, Brian," I complained. "You can't sideline me on this one. It'll be a mistake."

"You're not going in there, _period_, Abigail," Brian said forcefully. "Not this time."

The look he gave me told me why. He was concerned with all that had happened to me lately that I'd either not be up to it or that I'd be off my game. I felt my cheeks grow warm with anger, and my hands started to clench into fists at my side. Brian was second guessing me, assuming I really couldn't handle this situation. He thought I was handicapped—either emotionally, mentally, or physically, I wasn't sure, but he seemed to think I wasn't up to par in some area. That infuriated me.

_How dare he! _I fumed to myself. _He's never not trusted my judgment before. What's up with him doing it now? What's changed? What's different all of a sudden?_

"Sorry, little lady." Gilroy's deep voice broke into my thoughts. "It looks like you don't get to play with the big boys after all."

I wanted to childishly stick my tongue out at him, but I managed to refrain from doing so. I decided to go one better. "Oh, you'll be out here just begging me to help you. Just you wait and see."

He shook his head; not quite believing what he was hearing from me. _Good. Underestimate me, you stupid son of a bitch, _I thought sourly, as I watched him walk off toward the mall with Brian and Keith.

Johannsen was much kinder. "You can't blame you boss for wanting to keep you safe," he told me.

"Maybe not," I mumbled, turning back to the monitor and making sure my walkie-talkie was on.

"You really think you could influence an animal in that state of duress?" Johannsen asked, coming to stand next to me by the monitor.

"I don't think, Mr. Johannsen. I know I could," was my answer.

"Cocky much?" he then said lightly.

"No, not at all. I just know what my capabilities are. I'm just surprised that Brian doesn't."

We lapsed into silence as we watched the camera feeds. The leopard knew exactly when Brian and the others were close by. It roared and ran panicked through the store, knocking down racks of lingerie, display tables with lotions and perfumes on them, and upsetting just about everything else in its path.

"What are you doing, Brian?" I called into the walkie-talkie. "You're scaring the poor thing to death."

_"_I'm_ scaring _it_?"_ came Brian's disbelieving voice over the airwaves. _"I'm just trying to find a way to get a shot at it through the gate. I don't think the tranq gun is going to fit through."_

"He knows you're there, Brian, and he's definitely not happy about it. You're not going to be able to get a clear shot," I informed him.

The leopard suddenly went low to the floor, almost like it was lying down, but all of its muscles were taunt. Its ears went all the way back, and its mouth opened in a snarling roar. It even hissed and narrowed its eyes menacingly. I watched its muscles bunch even more; it was going to spring.

"Brian, watch out!" I yelled into the walkie-talkie. "It's going to come right at you."

No sooner had I gotten the words out of my mouth, when the leopard launched itself at the gate again; this time like it had a specific target in mind. The power of the leap and the strength behind the pounce almost sheered the gate right out of its supports and hinges.

"Brian, Brian, are you okay?" I cried, making sure I pressed the walkie-talkie button down.

It was Keith who answered. "_He's fine, Abs. Just a little shaken up from being knocked on his ass. That thing's one strong alpha male."_

I could hear Brian swearing in the background. I was tempted to smile, but the gravity of the situation stopped me. "Are you guys going to be able to get a shot off?"

_"It's too hard to through the gate. We need a smaller caliber tranq gun, but then that would lower the dosage, and something tells me that we need all that we can give this animal," _Keith replied.

_"We're going to have to either cut a small portion of the gate to make a bigger hole or raise the gate up from the ground just a bit to do any good,"_ that came from Gilroy.

"If you think that animal is wound up now, just watch what will happen with all the movement and noise associated with cutting through the metal gate," I said. "It'll go ballistic. And raising the gate would only work if the animal was distracted. Otherwise, it'll be right there to either try and escape or go after whatever threat it feels it's facing."

_"What do you suggest, Abs?" _came Brian's defeated voice.

"I'd be happy to distract it for you, while you raise the gate a little and get into position to take a shot," I said, trying not to sound smug, but I knew they'd need me.

_"I don't like that idea, Abs,"_ Brian groused.

"You know you need me, Brian," I retorted. "Just let me in there."

_"Have you been watching how pissed this thing is? How out of control? You really think it wise to come in here and try interacting with it?" _Brian was starting to cave; I could feel it.

"There's only one way to find out, boss."

_"All right. Get in here, but at the first hint of anything going south, I'm pulling you out. You got that?"_ Brian's reluctance was perfectly clear.

"Ten-Four," I said. "I'll be right there."

I tossed an I-told-you-so glance at the gaping Johannsen before asking him to man the monitor while I joined the others inside the mall. Despite all my bravado with the men, I didn't know if I could get through to an animal this upset or not. It could choose to tear me apart if was so inclined. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to get that close.

It didn't take me long to find my way to the vicinity of the Victoria's Secret store. Of all the stores to find a big, black leopard in, that had to be the most ironic. _What had it been doing in there? Shopping for something sexy for a mate to wear? _I joked to myself. I could hear its angry roars almost immediately once I got inside the mall. It was a totally primal sound. It should have terrified me, but it was almost musical instead. I thought it was a beautiful noise. It stirred something deep within in me. I closed my eyes for a moment and just listened. It filled me will a strange sense of peace.

I caught Brian motioning for me to come quickly over to the Game Stop store down a couple stores from the Victoria's Secret one, and on the other side, opposite of it. I hurried over to him. I noticed that Keith was positioned down the other way to observe, and Gilroy was at a third position.

"Let's just see how it reacts to your presence," Brian instructed. "Slowly walk closer to the store, and we'll see what it does."

I nodded, turning to face Victoria's Secret. I slowly approached, trying not to make too much noise. Leopards were known for their acute hearing and eyesight. Smell was important, but not when a leopard was hunting. I could hear it growling in warning as I approached.

Even though Brian just wanted me to walk by, I chose to stop and speak to it. "Hi, there, big fella," I said in the most soothing voice I could muster. "You're kinda in a pickle there, aren't ya?"

At first, it roared angrily at me. I could just make out its eyes through the gate's grating. They were the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen a leopard have; usually they had eyes that were greener than anything or yellow. I could see an unusual intelligence in this leopard's eyes. There was also something eerily familiar about them. They were slanted as the leopard gazed back at me, but they widened the longer it looked at me. I was mesmerized; I couldn't look away. Something deep within me stirred, awakening in the presence of this animal. I found myself drawn closer and closer to the gate. I was lost in the depth of its eyes.

The leopard's ears shifted forward, in a less aggressive manner. It started making a sawing noise, like a wood plank being cut with a saw. "You know I'm different, don't you?" I asked it. "You know I'm a female. That's why you're sawing at me aren't you? You _are_ a big male."

It sat down on its back haunches, never looking away from me, and continued sawing. Male and female leopards tended to make the sawing noise to find one another or identify one another in the wild. Leopards also did it to let other leopards know where the borders of their territory were. I was totally caught up in its gaze again, transfixed. It was like it was calling to me, drawing me in. It was the strangest sensation I'd ever felt, but I liked it. I was aware that I was tingling all over; electrified.

"_What are you doing, Abby?" _came Brian's voice over the walkie-talkie.

"Calming the big boy down," I cooed back, for the leopard didn't like Brian's voice. It snarled when it heard it. "Let me do my job and you get into position." With that, I turned the walkie-talkie off.

"How did you get yourself in there, huh?" I softly asked the leopard.

It made the sawing noise again in response. I smiled at it. It cautiously came forward, right up to the metal gate. It searched for my eye contact again. I couldn't resist meeting its gaze once more. I was pulled involuntarily closer to my side of the metal gate. It roared at me—a show of dominance, not a threatening sound. I refused to cow to it. It roared again.

"You don't scare me. You big kitty cat," I told it. "It's okay. We'll get you out of there."

It proceeded to rub up against the metal gate, like it wanted me to reach through and stroke it. Even my small hand wouldn't pass through, however. "Sorry, baby, I can't get to you right now. Soon though, okay? Soon, I promise." I put my hand up against the metal in a placating gesture.

Suddenly, it ears flicked back and forth, and then laid back on its head once more. It snarled and roared, angry again. Its eyes flashed with a primal rage that did scare me this time. I took a step back involuntarily. My eyes widened in surprise, and I think I gasped at the shear ferocity I felt radiating off of the animal. Then I heard the soft tick of the tranq gun going off. A large dart hit the leopard's hind quarters.

It flipped out. The scream it gave was bloodcurdling. I backed further and further away from the gate. It ran around the store, snarling, growling, and screaming. It leapt up on counter tops, scrambling every which way. It broke mannequins apart, made large dents in the walls, ripped up material, and caused plaster to fall from the ceiling. It came at the metal gate again, but its strength had started to wane; the tranquilizer beginning to take effect. In one last desperate move, it went to one of the display windows, ramming it, cracking the glass. I winced, knowing that this probably really hurt the animal. With all the energy it was expending, it would pump the sedative through its system that much faster. Finally, it just walked in circles for a few minutes, and then it collapsed on the floor, out cold.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I was shaking, and my legs felt like rubber. I felt myself fall, but couldn't stop it. I didn't hit the ground, however, because someone caught me. It was someone with a much bigger build than Brian or Keith; it had to be Gilroy. He was totally supporting me, his arms wrapped around my waist. I was in shock, I think. I leaned against his big frame, trying not to let my vision swim.

"Easy there, little lady," he said in his deep, gravelly voice. "Great job by the way. I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. You charmed the beast into forgetting we were even here."

"I did?" I asked dumbly, my brow furrowing in confusion. "I never heard or felt the gate go up."

"That's cause we didn't go in that way," he told me.

"Then how did you go in?" I came back to myself enough to ask.

"Your boy here—," he pointed to Brian, still holding me against himself, "—thought of a really cool way to do it."

Brian and Keith came up to me with thickly gloved hands, carrying a net to gather the unconscious feline in. Brian blushed a little at Gilroy's praise. "I thought we could cut a hole in one of the side display windows and take a shot from there. Cutting the glass with a glass cutter was much quieter and less obvious. It worked beautifully, along with your distraction of the animal."

"Wow," I said truly impressed with Brian's ingenuity. "Where did you get a glass cutter from?"

"Gilroy happened to have one out in his truck," Keith explained.

"Yeah, you'd be surprised how often something like that comes in handy in our line of work," Gilroy said as I pulled myself out of his embrace, able to stand on my own again. Something about the man bothered me. There was something off about him that I couldn't put my finger on.

"Let's get Mr. Kitty out to the cage in the truck," Brian said all business now.

As he, Keith, and Gilroy cautiously approached the unmoving form of the leopard to net it, I glanced around at the damage done to the store. It was an absolute disaster area. Debris of all kinds littered the place. It would need some major repairs before it could go back into service. At least the damage was just to property and no person had been hurt. That was one thing to be thankful for.

It didn't take long for the three men to lug the large animal outside and get it secured in a special cage we had. The cage was in the zoo truck Brian had brought with him. The police and emergency personal watched us with obvious relief on their faces. We had successfully done our jobs; we were heroes as far as they were concerned, and the media was bound to spin it that way too.

"Girl, I don't know how you got that thing to concentrate just on you, but you sure did a bang-up job," Johannsen commented as the police and others were shaking our hands. "I guess you really did know what you were doing."

"Thanks," I told him sincerely. "Animals just respond well to me. They always have. That's part of the reason I became a vet."

Brian shook a finger at me. "That's mostly true. The monkeys and elephants don't like you much though," he said with a smile.

I laughed at him. "Touché," I agreed.

Brian then thanked the animal control guys for their help and promised to keep them updated on the animal's condition and anything we found out about where it came from. They told us they would look into it with their resources as well and let us in on any information they dug up.

Brian and Keith got into the van and prepared to get going back to the zoo. I came up to the side of the van, and Brian rolled down the window. "I'm going to follow you so I can examine the animal," I informed him.

"I was hoping you would, Abs," Brian replied. "And, Abby—," he added as I started to walk away, "—I'm sorry I doubted you. You were right, as usual."

"Just remember that next time, kay?" was all I said with a smile, ready to forgive and forget.

"Will do," he said with a smile of his own. "I've asked the police to keep the press off our backs, at least until we can get back to the zoo and have a look at our friend here."

"That sounds good. We don't have time right now to deal with the media," I said, relieved.

Brian and Keith both nodded in agreement. "But, we _will _have to deal with them at _some _point. There'll be a lot of questions that the press and the public will want answers to," Brian supposed.

"The Audubon Institute Board will probably want to draft a formal statement and decide who gets to say what," I assumed right along with him.

Brian grunted at that statement. "See ya in a bit, Abs," he said as he put the van into gear.

"You bet," I replied.

As I walked back to my car, I knew I needed to call Ray and tell him about all that had happened and that all was well. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and noticed that I had four missed calls, along with at least one or more voicemails. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that my mom or sister had tried to call me, and probably Vicky, Beth, and Jess. I'd have to call them all eventually, but my mom was probably the most important. It then occurred to me that if I called Vicky, she'd make all the rounds for me. She loved juicy gossip and sharing it with as many people as possible.

As I started my Jeep up and followed the police escort out of the mall parking lot, I called my mom and assured her that everything was fine. She was relieved and couldn't believe what I'd had to do. I told her I'd fill in her on all the thrilling details later. I also told her about the call from Dr. Gerard and about the results of my bone marrow tests. She had been ecstatic, wanting to go shopping to celebrate. Ray was next on my list. Then I called Vicky, as I drove to the zoo.

"_Oh, cherie, cherie!"_ she exclaimed when she picked up the phone. _"What's goin' on at the mall? Were you involved in that fiasco?"_

"Yes, Vick I was," I said hurriedly. "Someone stuck a freakin' black leopard in the Victoria's Secret store! A team from the zoo and from animal control was called in. I helped Brian and Keith knock the big guy out, and we're taking him to the zoo now to look him over."

"_So no one got hurt, I take it,"_ Vicky replied. "_And obviously you're out of your mind excited about the whole thing. I can hear it in your voice. Do you have any idea how it got trapped in there?"_

"Not yet, but any evidence we can gather off the cat itself, we'll turn over the police's forensics department to help them in their investigation. I'm sure they'll go through what's left of the store with a fine-toothed comb." I had to pause for breath. I _was _excited.

"_What happened to the store?"_ Vicky demanded. It was one of her and Jess's favorite places to shop.

"Let's just say that fancy underwear and nighties are not very leopard proof," I said with a light laugh. "He kind of demolished it."

"_That little shit. Oh well, I never did like the layout of that store. Hopefully, they'll improve it as they repair it. How do you explain leopard damage to an insurance company? You'll let me know all about you're little adventure after you check out your new pet?"_ Vicky then teased me. _"It isn't sick or crazed in any way is it?"_she then asked more seriously.

I had to stop at a red light which started to make me impatient. "I don't think so. I think he was just plain pissed off about being locked in the store. I'll know more when I get a chance to do some blood work and a physical examination."

I couldn't wait to get my hands on that soft fur coat. I wanted to feel it slide through my fingers. I had to shake myself back to reality. _Where did that come from? I should be concentrating on its overall condition, not indulging myself in childish fantasies. _

"_Abs, you still there?" _Vicky was asking.

"Yeah—I'm still here. Sorry, I got lost in thought for a moment. I'll be sure to give you a full report when I know more and have the time," I said distractedly. "He's such a gorgeous creature, Vick. I can't believe he fell right into my lap! This is such exhilarating opportunity! I've always wanted to work with a black leopard. It's kind of a dream come true." I was gushing and babbling now, but I couldn't help it. Now that the danger had passed, the adrenaline still left in my system was finding a new way to pump me up.

"_Uh-oh," _Vicky sassed me. "_Ray has some competition for your affection now. Are you gonna to let this new male in your life steal your heart? The leopard is a male, right? You keep sayin' 'he'."_

I rolled my eyes at Vicky's drama queen antics, but it was probably lost on her since she couldn't see the movement over the phone. "It has to be a male. It's huge! As heavy as a grown-sized human man. Leopards are the smallest of the big cats. Lions and tigers can weigh much more than that, in the five hundred pound range or more, but leopards are much smaller. Still formidable, but just little compared to their cousins. This guy, though, is big by even leopard standards."

"_Oh, cherie, you are sooooo already smitten by this animal,"_ Vicky continued to give me a hard time. _"Ray had better watch his back."_

"Stop it, Vick,'" I scolded. "Nobody can replace Ray in my affections. Besides, I can't marry a leopard," I couldn't help but joke.

Vicky laughed loud and long over the phone. _"Aww, cherie, you're priceless, but you'd better not say that in front of Ray. Anyway, I'll let the girls know that you're fine and dandy, so you can go play with your new friend."_

I scoffed at her. "Whatever. And thanks, Vick, I'd appreciate that. Oh, by the way, the doctor called me this morning and gave me a clean bill of health. They still want to watch things a little, but overall, I don't have any major health issues to speak of."

"_That's wonderful, Abby. What a relief, huh? Your day is turnin' out to be more and more delightful. So much good news," _Vicky told me. _"Talk to you later, cher."_

"Bye, Vick," I said and hung up, smiling broadly to myself.

Things were definitely looking up for a change. It was about time they got back to normal, and I could go on about my life. With the health scare out of the way, I could turn my attention back to the upcoming wedding—I was still determined to go through with it—and hopefully a new project working with our new found leopard. _Yes, life is most certainly getting better by the second, _I thought.

TBC…

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So what is the consensus on this chapter? Cool? Intriguing? Fun? And how in the world did that leopard end up in a mall store? Please let me know what you think. Reviews are so inspiring.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** In this chapter I have a lot of interaction with Abby and the captured black leopard. That was one of the only things that bugged me about the movie. It would have been interesting to see more connection between Paul in leopard form and Irena. The last part of the chapter deals with Abby experiencing the darker part of her heritage. Again, I took a little from the movie for that part, but put my own spin on it. Thanks to RadcliffePotter for her betaing.

**Rated T:** For language, violence, and romantic situations

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**Chapter 10**

We decided to give the big leopard another small dose of sedative to make sure he stayed under while I examined him. Not only was he big in size, but his muscles were lean, strong, and powerful. All thirty-two of his teeth were immaculate; no sign of rot or decay. Someone had been taking excellent care of him. His four, long canine teeth were impressively sharp. His carnassial teeth or molars were in good shape, and so were all his incisors. His gums also looked nice and healthy. I forced his retractable claws out of his paws, and they were razor-sharp, just like his teeth. Someone was letting him keep them nice and sharpened. His long, tail was in good condition, no kinks in it or any other problems. His pupils were responsive to light as they should have been. I determined that he was most likely a Sub-Saharan leopard, from the jungles of Africa, probably Ethiopia.

His poor head was cut and bruised from hitting the metal gate and the glass window. I cleaned it thoroughly and put some salve on it to help it heal and protect it from infection. I took three vials of blood, used a catheter to extract some urine, and took some saliva samples. I'd wait and let him have a normal bowel movement to test his poop. The blood test would let me know if he had any viral or bacterial infections to worry about. I didn't see any sign of him begin rabid. His throat looked clear, and he wasn't producing any excess saliva or tears.

I x-rayed the leopard to see that if, in all his terrorizing of the Victoria's Secret store, he'd broken or fractured any bones. Those came back clean. I was tempted to get Brian to authorize a CAT scan or an MRI, but I'd wait and see how the animal behaved when it was awake. The expense of the exams at this point wasn't necessary or expedient to the animal's overall well-being. I also made sure I bagged and tagged evidence for the police's forensics department to look at: stuff that I could brush out of his fur, anything in his teeth and claws, and samples of his saliva, urine, and blood.

Now we had to figure out where to keep him. Brian and I didn't think it wise in any way, shape, or form to put him in with the other leopards. Maybe later, after his true temperament had been accessed could we do that. Right now, however, we needed to keep him isolated. Toby and Keith volunteered to clean out a pen that had housed a cheetah at one time, but not anymore. It had died a few months ago of very old age. We all thought it better to keep the leopard confined inside until its disposition could be determined as well. Putting it out in a public forum would be a very bad idea until it could adjust to its new home.

I went down to the lab and got the techs running the blood, urine, and saliva samples right away. The new leopard was the "buzz" of every conversation I caught drifting throughout the zoo and its various departments. I was also a topic of conversation it seemed, at least my part in helping capture our new guest. I caught people staring at me once in a while, and some employees and patrons at the zoo even gave me a thumbs-up sign. I laughed it off each time, but it really made me feel very self-conscious.

Truth be told, I was having funny thoughts about how it all went down as I replayed the incident in my mind. I was charmed as much by the beast as the beast was by me. I had no more power over the animal that it had had over me. If it had been me that was being distracted for capture, I would've been jail bait too. I was partly disturbed by the allure the animal had over me, but partly intrigue by it as well. I'd never felt a connection to an animal—or person—that strong and overwhelming before. I wondered it if was a fluke or the real deal. Sure, I was able to relate extremely well to Tarzan and the other Amur leopards, but what I felt with this black leopard was so much more robust and commanding.

I was going to wait a few days before I tried to match up the leopard's markers with the animal markers I had taken from the mutilated bodies' case. I'd wait until the police officially asked me to do it. I didn't really want to know if this animal was the killer. I wanted to enjoy him for a little bit before I found out. I was being selfish, but right now I didn't care. I wanted some time with him.

As I returned from the zoo lab, I found that Toby and Keith had gotten our boy all situated in his new home. The enclosure had ledges he could climb up on if he wanted to, but sadly, there was no tree to climb. Though there was plenty of space for him to pace around the place if he felt the need.

He was starting to stir as I approached the bars. I watched his tail and ears twitch as consciousness came back to him. I hoped he would be in a better mood. That was half the reason I wanted to be there when he woke up, to try and keep him calm. The other reason was purely personal. I wanted to interact with him. As I had examined him, I had indulged in the little fantasy I'd had in the Jeep; I ran my fingers through his rich coat. It was heavenly. Now I wanted to do it and see what kind of response I got from him when he was aware of what I was doing.

The leopard lazily opened his eyes and stretched on his back, like a domestic house cat would. He yawned, opening his formidable jaws widely. He shook his head, as if to clear it. Slowly, he started looking around. His ears flicked this way and that, taking in all the new sounds. I stood where he would see and smell me.

"Hi there, big guy," I greeted him in my most soothing voice. "How are ya doin'? Have a good nap?"

His gaze pierced mine as he carefully stood. My breath hitched at the intensity of his look. I found the same intelligence in the depths of his blue eyes that I'd seen before. Without realizing how I'd gotten there, I was up close to my side of the bars. My heart felt like a humming bird in my chest. The leopard made his unmistakable sawing noise.

Walking stiffly, he came close to his side of the bars, and then started sniffing the air. I put my hand up closer to the bars so he could get a good whiff of me. To my surprise his tongue darted out, and he quickly licked my fingertips, before backing away. His tongue had been wet and coarse. "It's okay, baby. Go ahead," I encouraged him.

As if he understood me, he came forward again, sniffing. I offered my hand once more in invitation, watching that he couldn't get a hold of me with teeth or claw. Cautiously, his tongue came out and lightly brushed my fingers. I stood perfectly still, not moving. When I showed no sign of fear or threat, he licked at my fingers again. Getting braver, he slid his tongue down my palm and back up to my fingertips. I shivered in delight. It was a pleasurable sensation.

Finally, he began licking my hand and fingers in earnest, as if they had something yummy on them, and he wanted to clean it all off while savoring each drop. I gasped at how good it felt, and how it made my whole body tingle. As he was licking, his eyes met mine once more. The zinging thrill that passed through me, at the heat of that look, almost made me moan. It reminded me of something or someone else.

I pulled my hand back, trying to ground myself. I wiped it on my pant leg. _What the hell was that? _I silently wondered. _I've never had an animal make me feel that way before. I must be losing my mind._ I took a couple of deep, calming breaths. "That's enough, you," I told him. "I'm glad you're in a better mood. I know this isn't the Hyatt," I joked lightly, gesturing with my hands at his surroundings, "but it'll have to do for now. You're safe here."

He let out a short roar and shook himself like he was shaking off water. "Is that approval?" I asked. He just gave me the short roar again, but he was calm. He showed no sign of irritation. That was good; very good.

"We need to give you some kind of name," I mused out loud. "I don't want to go around saying, 'Hey you,' or have to call you 'big guy' all the time."

As I stood there trying to think of a good name for him, he began to explore his surroundings. He sniffed at everything. The floor, the walls, the bars, his water trough, and the soft straw he'd been given as a bed all fell under his inspection. He even sniffed at the back door to his enclosure, where a person could come in. He wandered over and drank heavily from his water trough. That was another good sign that he didn't have rabies. Then he inspected everything again, rubbing his cheek and chin along it all to mark it his, leaving his scent behind.

"I guess you'll take it, huh?" I asked him with a small smile. He sawed at me this time. "I'll take that as a yes."

Then he did the most unusual thing. He went back to the back door and scratched at it, then came back toward me rubbing up against the bars. He went back again and scratched lightly at the back door. He looked at me and made a soft mewing noise, almost like a whine. I cocked my head to the side, attempting at putting the pieces together. _What are you trying to tell me? _I wondered. He repeated the actions, making sure I was watching him.

Then, it hit me. "You want me to come in there with you?" I asked dubiously.

He sawed at me in response. I think that was his version of a yes. I was shocked on two fronts. The first being that he understood what I was saying to him, at least on some level. The second being that he wanted me to come into the enclosure with him. After what I'd seen him do at the Victoria's Secret store, I was leery of that idea.

"I don't know about that, big guy," I said hesitantly. "You've got to earn my trust first. You're a lot bigger and stronger than me. I'm surprised you trust me that much. After all, I'm the one that caused you to get tranquilized."

He padded his way back over to the bars and rubbed up against them, and then he sat there expectantly. He wanted me to pet him. He wanted my attention. If I wasn't going to go to him, he was going to come to me. I was fascinated by this behavior. He was taking to me fast—faster than any other big cat I'd dealt with. It was like he saw me as one of his own, not a human predator or captor. Whoever had raised him must have really loved him and showed him great kindness. I speculated that his previous owner must have been a woman, and that I must remind him of her in some way. That could be the only logical explanation for his actions.

I hesitated to actually go over, reach out, and pet him, even though I wanted to do just that with every fiber of my being. I was scared to trust this. Some part of me feared he'd turn on me and that would be the end. When he noticed my lack of compliance, he rubbed himself along the bars again and mewed again. He searched for my gaze once more. His eyes were open, warm, and friendly. His tongue was hanging out his mouth, lazily.

"Don't make me regret this, big guy," I told him sternly. "I'm trusting you." _This is probably the stupidest thing you've ever done, Abigail,_ I admonished myself internally.

I slowly and tentatively reached out my hand, but I stopped short of putting it through the bars. It was in the position it had been in when he had licked my hand, just close enough for his tongue to reach, but not his teeth. That's when I felt his tongue once more caressing my fingers. He was tempting me for more. I gasped again at the sensation his licking caused to course throughout my body, like an electrical current.

"You little devil," I cursed him, but now daring to put my hand through the bars and scratch him under his chin.

He started purring instantly. I gently ran my hand up his jaw and petted his head, ever careful of his sore spot. He shifted slightly so I could run my hand down his broad and long back. His fur was like velvet, soft and soothing. It tickled a little too. Soon I was running my hand down him over and over again, addicted to the feel of his velvety coat. His backside would rise with each stroke I gave him, just like any normal cat's would. His purring was a deep, vibrating sound. It resonated deep within me, making me tingle again.

"Someone has totally spoiled you, haven't they?" I asked him, not really expecting an answer. He just continued to purr loudly. "How about Bagheera?" I then questioned him for a name, pulling it from the black jaguar in the _Jungle Book_. He snorted and shook his head. "O—kay. I take it you don't like that one." He grunted at me. "How about Rue?" I threw out the name of a tiger from the _Beast Master_. He snorted and shook his head again. "Geez, you're picky, aren't you? Let's see…how about…Achilles?" I pulled out another name, this one coming from Greek mythology. "He was a famous and fierce warrior from ancient Greece. Would that fit you, my large friend?" That one got him to give me a sawing noise. "Well, don't we have a big ego to go with your big stature?" I teased him. "Achilles it is."

"Are you talking to that animal?" Ray's voice suddenly broke into our private little world. "Is it safe for you to be _that_ up close and personal with it after how it behaved this morning?" Ray came up to stand close to me, but putting me between the wild animal and himself.

The leopard, Achilles now, let out a warning growl to Ray. He snarled and bared his fangs, ears going back. He obviously didn't like Ray's presence or Ray's interruption of our bonding moment. I pulled away, wary of the leopard accidently hurting me in his sudden anger.

"I don't think he likes you being in here, Ray. You're frightening him," I warned my fiancé. "Back up."

"How can someone like _me_ frighten an animal _that_ size?" Ray asked me incredulously.

Achilles let out another aggressive growl, bordering on a roar. He was pulling in his ribcage in between his shoulders blades to make them stick out more. He was doing it to make himself look more menacing. "He doesn't know you, Ray. You're in his territory. Plus, he's been through a lot today. Just back up," I commanded.

Ray did as I ordered, but Achilles was still angry. He hissed and snarled narrowing his eyes. "We'd better leave and talk elsewhere. You're upsetting him too much. I just got him calmed down. Come on," I then informed Ray.

"_I'm _upsetting _him_?"

"Yeah. He sees you as an invader, a rival male in his territory. Now out, out!" I insisted.

I went to walk with Ray to the door, out into the hallway, but I found I was stuck. I tried to move forward again, but couldn't. I looked back over my shoulder. Somehow the sneaky leopard had snagged one of my belt loops on my pants with a couple of his claws from one of his front paws. "What the—," I started, but didn't finish. Achilles was holding me in place, not letting me go anywhere. "What do you think you're doing?" I demanded of the animal. A shot of fear spiked through me. I'd never seen a big cat behave this way.

"What's wrong, Abs?" Ray asked standing and holding the door open.

"I'm caught," was all I said.

"On what?"

I looked at Ray, trying not to show my apprehension to him. "The leopard's claws are stuck on my belt." That was kind of a lie; Achilles was purposely not letting me go.

"He's got a hold of you?" Ray was shocked and dismayed.

"Kinda," I said softly.

"Do I need to go get some help?"

"No, just back off. I'll handle it."

"Abs—," Ray tried to argue.

"Just do it, Ray," I snapped at him. "I know what I'm doing. This is _my _territory. I can get myself loose."

But Ray was not going to let me handle it by myself. "I'm going to get Brian."

I gave him an annoyed look. "Fine, you do that. But by the time you and he get back in here, I'll have it all sorted out."

Now it was Ray's turned to look annoyed. "I'll be right back," was all he said and disappeared.

Achilles chose that moment to pull on my belt loop, forcing me back against the bars. A real fear swept through me again. This big cat might not let me go without a fight. "Let me go, Achilles," I demanded in as stern a voice as I could muster.

He snarled and yanked on me again, my butt smacking into the bars. "If you don't let me go, they'll deem you dangerous and send you away," I threatened, somehow knowing he'd understand me. It was a creepy flash of intuition.

The leopard didn't let go, but he stopped yanking on me. Then he made the weird mewing noise again. _He just doesn't want me to leave him,_ I decided. "Are you afraid that I won't come back?" I asked, trying to look back at him. "I'll be back tomorrow and every day after that if you behave," I told him. "Please let me go."

And just like that, he did. His claws disengaged from the material of my belt loop, and I was free. "That's better," I said. Then I turned around to face him and shook my finger at him. "You can't do stuff like that after what happened with you this morning, baby. People who don't understand you like I do will look for any excuse to take you away from here. I'll fight for you, but you've got to meet me halfway."

Achilles relaxed his stance and sawed at me as if agreeing to my terms. "I really don't want to leave you any more than you don't want me to leave you," I confessed to him, leaning frontward against the bars. "But I do have other responsibilities as well, ya know. I promise to spend as much time here as I can, provided you cooperate with the other zoo personnel too."

He roared at me, not liking the last of what I said. "I can't be here twenty-four seven, babe," I explained. "At least let Della look after you, if you don't like other males in your territory."

Rubbing up against the bars in a submissive gesture let me know he'd comply. I petted him again, stroking slow and soft. He rose up on his haunches just a little to reach my face. His tongue flick out across my mouth. I blanched in shock at so intimate a gesture. He started licking my face in long, broad strokes. I was frozen in place; a little from fear and a little from delight. It was a strange sensation. Then it started to feel natural, like he'd licked my face a hundred times before. It started to feel good.

The leopard was purring again as he licked faster and faster. I could sense his delight and excitement as well as my own. It was pouring off him in waves, catching me in their ebb and flow. I pulled back when it hit me, just how _unnatural _the whole situation really was. Achilles just looked at me with that same strange intelligence he seemed to have. His blue-green eyes were starting to hypnotize me again. Something deep within me wanted to answer his call. It was something that I couldn't define. It seemed ancient, primal, and otherworldly. Something that defied logic. There was some kind of connection we shared, beyond anything I could ever imagine or comprehend. It frightened me, but thrilled me at the same time.

"I guess you really didn't need us after all," Brian's voice broke into my reverie.

I looked at him, blinked, and then found the will to speak. "I told Ray I'd handle it. Achilles just didn't want me to leave. I worked out an understanding with him."

"Achilles?" Brian questioned with a raise of his eyebrows.

"It just seemed to fit him," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

The leopard had gone to the far back corner of his cage. I could tell that he was mad, but he was trying to behave like I'd asked. He still had his ears back and had pulled his ribcage in again, but he was staying away, not openly challenging Brian or Ray. I heard a low growl emanate from him, but nothing more.

"I would just let Della deal with him when I'm not here," I then informed my boss. "He has something against men. They make him feel threatened for some reason. That makes him aggressive."

Brian stared at me for a moment. "O—ka—y," he drug out. "I'll let you figure out the reason behind that then. He seems stable and healthy otherwise?"

"So far. The blood and urine tests will tell me more in the morning. Somebody should monitor him throughout the night though," I answered.

"I'll see if Della would be willing to do so," Brian said before I could volunteer.

"Yah. _You_, young lady, need come home and get some rest," Ray insisted. "You've had quite the day." He smiled at me, trying to soften his pseudo-command.

I knew he was right; the full weight of the day hitting me all of a sudden. Some food and sleep would do me a world of good. I also realized that I had missed Ray today—a lot. Maybe I needed something more than just sleep. I felt kind of keyed up. I smiled back at him suggestively. "You might be able to talk me into that," I told him.

He came forward, sliding me into his arms and kissing me softly. "I'll do my best," he said huskily. This was how we forgave and forgot our irritation we sometimes had for each other's ways of dealing with things.

Brian smirked at us. "Get out of here you two."

Achilles' roar seemed to second that. I glanced one last time at him to say good-bye and reassure him that I'd be back soon, when my eyes met his again. They seemed to blaze with an angry fire. I got the impression he was jealous of the companionship between me and Ray. It was an odd deduction on my part, but I made it nonetheless. It was like Achilles was trying to tell me that he wanted that kind of companionship with someone too.

_Animals don't think on that level, _a voice in my head said. _You're projecting human characteristics and motivations onto an animal that doesn't make up meanings and reasons for things the way that people do. You're being foolish, living in fantasy land. Besides, leopards of both sexes are loners, solitary creatures._

I was disturbed to say the least. The leopard held my gazed for a long moment, and then he turned around and lay down. He put his head on his front paws as if sulking in the corner of the enclosure. I suddenly felt guilty for leaving him and wanting to be with Ray. A lump had formed in my throat in sympathy for him.

"Maybe I'd better stay this first night with him," I threw out to Brian.

"You've been with him all day today. You need a break. Go home. I promise to make sure he's well-looked after," Brian argued in return. "I know how to take care of an abandoned animal, Abs."

"Yes you do," I agreed, "but this animal doesn't trust you. He's just starting to trust me. We still don't know a lot about him or his prior circumstances. I just feel like I need to stay. I can't explain it more than that."

Ray pulled me closer, distracting me. "This guy has had all of your time today, Abby. It's my turn now." He kissed the sweet spot behind my ear, making me shiver happily.

Brian all but pushed us out the door. "I'll take care of it, Abs. Don't worry so much," he chided me.

"I'll try not to," I replied. "I'll be here first thing in the morning. Like around six or seven. You call me if you need anything or if anything funky goes on. You got that?"

"Yes, momma bear," Brian teased me. "Now. GO HOME."

As I started to leave with Ray heading out of the door, I looked back at Achilles one last time and couldn't help but wonder if I was doing the right thing. I sure hoped I was.

* * *

Ray had set up a romantic candle lit dinner at the manor, using his family's china and everything. He'd set it up before he'd meet me at the zoo. I was touched. He was really being sweet. He let me shower and change into something nicer than my zoo uniform. Once in a nice pair of light blue jeans and a white, frilly top with swirls of bunched up material up by the neck and bust, I felt more revived and relaxed at the same time.

Ray was wearing nicely pressed tan Dockers and a burgundy, long-sleeved, button down shirt. He had rolled up the sleeves and hadn't buttoned the shirt all the way up. He was a very sexy sight; one I didn't mind staring at and drooling over a little. My hormones were more than happy to take him all in. That keyed up feeling had increased tenfold.

We ate our meal—his mother's recipe for chicken gumbo—engrossed in conversation. There was a light salad, rolls, and some kind of fancy lemonade as well. Ray wanted to hear all about how we'd gotten the leopard out of the Victoria's Secret store, and he wanted to know what it was like from my point of view. I was eager to talk about it and shared the whole scenario easily with him. He then told me about his day, needing to vent a little about some of the problems with some of his restaurant managers and their employees.

We cleared the table when we were done, and Ray said he would have one of the house staff take care of them. It wasn't long before he'd taken me in his arms and was kissing me like I was his dessert. I repaid his enthusiasm in kind, suddenly needing him as much as he needed me. It had been awhile since we'd been able to have some intimate time together, and we were both feeling the neglect.

I let him pick me up and carry me upstairs to our bedroom. He set me down just inside the doorway. I slid my hands inside his half-open shirt to caress his chest and run my hands though his soft chest hair. He walked me backwards to the bed, kissing my breath away and stripping off my shirt. He kissed his way down my chin and neck. He went lower, making me moan. It wasn't long until we found ourselves passionately making love in the plush bed.

* * *

Later, I woke up snuggled in Ray's warm body. He was sleeping soundly, breathing slow and steady. Something was off with me, however. I felt like I had nervous legs. They twitched in weird muscle spasms. My back ached and my head pounded. Then the nausea hit me. I decided to get myself to the bathroom, so I wouldn't disturb Ray—and in case I got out-and-out sick. I was feeling smothered.

I was too warm, but chilled at the same time. I had broken out in a cold sweat, making my skin clammy. I closed the new bathroom door as quietly as I could and turned on the light. When I looked in the mirror, I gasped. My eyes were mutating on me again. My pupils were now vertical slits, just like a cat's. Pain erupted from between my shoulder blades and down along my spine. I had to grasp the sink to stay standing. Then I found myself losing my dinner in the toilet, before I knew it.

It was like my bones were breaking and my nerves were being shredded. I moaned and groaned in agony. I reached for the sink to wash my mouth out and glanced in the mirror again. I tried turning a bit to look at my back. I watched in horror as my spine seemed to shift and stretch under my skin. The bones of my arms and hands seemed to morph causing even more stabbing pain. I had to let go of the sink and ended up on my hands and knees on the floor. My nose was dripping blood onto the white tile. I wanted to scream for Ray, but I couldn't. My jaw seemed to want to break apart too.

Finding the strength to rip down my mint green robe from the back of the bathroom door, I slipped it on. I didn't want to see my body move so unnaturally under my skin. I also didn't want Ray to see me like this. I made myself get up. I stumbled, biting my lip to keep from crying out in pain. I made my way agonizingly down the stairs and out the back door. I needed to get away from the house. I needed to be out in the wild.

At first, I thought I should have gotten a flashlight so I could see where I was going, but the further I got from the manor and its outside lights, the better I could see. Objects, like the trees and bushes, didn't have much color, like they did during the day, but I could see them very clearly. I doubled over in pain again, leaning against a large willow tree.

I tried to take deep breaths to manage the pain. I could hear animals all around me in the undergrowth, moving and scurrying. I could hear thousands of insects speaking in the night. One sound in particular caught my attention, helping me fight the hurt. Something was close by, rutting around in the brush to my left. I looked carefully for its source, sniffing the air as well. Then I saw it, a few yards away. It was a long-eared hare. Instead of the normal brown color they were, this one looked gray to me.

The little creature fascinated me as I watched it hop around looking for something to eat. I wanted to hunt it. Without really realizing how or why, I started to stalk it. I quietly got down on all fours and slowly circled it. If I lost sight of it, the noise it made in the undergrowth let me know exactly where it was. I slinked through the bushes and trees more silently than I thought I was capable of, timing my movements with that of the hare's. Suddenly, I was right on top of it. It darted away, but somehow I leapt at it.

It took a few swipes, but I got it to go down. My nails were not fingernails anymore, but sharp, retractable claws. I held the struggling animal in place with those claws. Then some deep, primal instinct welled-up inside of me and consumed me. With teeth and fangs, much longer and sharper than humanly possible, I took the squirming hare into my mouth and bit down right on its jugular. It squealed as it died. Its warm blood filled my mouth and tasted like honey. I began to feast on the blood and flesh of the animal, my pain now forgotten in the heat of the kill.

* * *

I woke up somewhere down from the manor house, down by the river bank. My body was stiff and sore from lying on the hard ground. The sun was just barely starting to light the sky, in a predawn glow. I couldn't figure out how I'd gotten here. Then I remembered the horrible pain I was raked with during the night and the need to get outside. My body still remembered the night's events with lingering muscle spasms and bone-deep aches. After going outside, everything else was a blur, however.

Glancing down, I noticed that all I had on was my light green bathrobe. My arms, all down the front of the robe, and my legs were covered in red and brown streaks and stains. I realized I had a strange metallic taste in my mouth. I looked around at my surroundings more. I was behind a big willow tree, curled up on my side. The mutilated and torn carcass of a long-eared hare was just a few inches from my head.

Crying out, I sat up abruptly, scooting back into the tree. _My God! _my mind screamed. _What happened to me last night? Are these stains blood? _

I now scrutinized my hands more thoroughly. They were covered in red and brown. I felt my face and discovered something thick was caked all around my mouth and down my chin. I stared at the slashed up hare. _No! _I thought in total revulsion. _I couldn't have, could I? I didn't eat that hare did I? What possessed me to come out here and do this? _My stomach roiled and churned. Before I knew it, I was spewing raw meat and bile. I retched for quite a while, until it was just dry heaves, and then I lay back down.

_Does Ray know that I'm gone? Does he know what I did? What will he think if he sees me like this? Is this all I'm responsible for? Oh God, what is happening to me! _were all terrified thoughts swimming around in my head like ferocious piranhas. _Maybe Valen was trying to tell me the truth about myself. Now don't get ahead of yourself. There has to be a logical explanation for all of this. I killed and ate a freakin' bunny rabbit! How do you logically explain that shit?_

I needed to get back to the manor and cleaned up before anyone saw me like this. Slowly willing myself to stand, I made it to my feet. I leaned against the tree for a few minutes as I took deep breaths and tried to get a handle on myself. When I felt like my legs were steady enough to let me walk, I starting making my way back up to the house. I pulled the hapless robe around me more tightly as I shivered in the predawn chill.

Slipping in through the back door as quietly as possible, I made my way slowly upstairs and into the bedroom. Thankfully, Ray was still snoring away in bed. I grabbed a clean T-shirt, jeans, and undergarments before shutting myself in the bathroom. I stripped off the blood and dirt covered robe and turned on the shower. Every movement made me wince as I was still stiff and very sore.

Then I saw myself in the mirror, and I felt like I was going to black out. My vision started to get hazy after I saw the dried blood and tissue covering my mouth, chin, and neck. I looked like some crazed Hannibal Lector out of the _Silence of the Lambs _movies. My hair was a nest of snarls and knots. I had completely flipped out last night.

Suddenly all I wanted was to be clean again. I got in the shower quickly and started scrubbing all the blood and gore off of me. My stomach clenched again as I saw the red start swirling down the drain. Finally, I began to cry, sobbing as softly as I could. I slid down the shower wall into a sitting position. I pulled my knees up to my chest as my tears mingling with the spraying shower water.

I was in deep shit. I couldn't deny it any longer. Something was not right with me. Medical science had not been able to discover what it was. Only one person I could think of might actually know what was happening to me. That was Valen. I needed to talk him. I needed to find out if he really did have any useful knowledge or if he was full of bullshit. I also needed to research my biological origins in much more detail and find out who I really was. I couldn't be tentative about it or do it half-heartedly. I had to really dig. If not, I was going to go fucking nuts, and probably take Ray right along with me.

TBC...

* * *

Just some clarification. Abby did not completely transform here. She came close, but not quite. I will reveal all the whys and hows a little later in the story. There _is_ method to my madness. Hopefully, it will go over well. I'm tweaking some of the mythos from the movie. Any thoughts you care to share with me about this chapter would be very welcome and appreciated. Thanks.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** This chapter is to help start to pull in the back-story from the 1982 _Cat People_ movie and to begin to bridge it with my plot and characters. They are all interconnected. Bits and pieces will continue to be woven in throughout the coming chapters until the whole picture is clear. Abby and Achilles also get to share some more bonding time in this chapter. Readers should find the end of this chapter interesting to say the least. That is my hope anyway. Thanks to all of your patience with me for taking so long with this chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'm thrilled that there are other fans out there like me; that I'm not alone. You guys rock! Thanks also to RadcliffePotter for her beta work.

**Rated T:** For language and some slightly disturbing imagery.

* * *

**Chapter 11  
**

I did everything I could to hide from Ray just how serious of an emotional upheaval I was in. I cleaned up all the blood in the shower and on the tile floor. I threw away the bathrobe, burying it deep in other garbage in the container outside. Usually I could tell Ray anything, but for some reason, I couldn't talk to him about what I'd done last night. I was afraid he'd think I'd totally lost it. I probably had, but I didn't want Ray to know that I had. I didn't want to ruin the upcoming wedding. I just wanted to get through that, and then I could have Ray help me deal with whatever the hell was going on with me. It had taken us too long to get to this point to let something silly like my mental health get in the way. It was stupid reasoning, but it was where I was at; it was all just too much. I was a pro at shoving unwanted or unpleasant things onto the back shelf until I could make myself face them.

Totally skipping breakfast, I decided not to change into my zoo uniform. The work I was going to be doing today wouldn't need me to be so official, and I might get nitty-gritty dirty anyway. I stayed in the worn out blue jeans that had seen better days and a New Orleans Saints T-shirt that Ray had bought me at one of their games, which I'd put on after I showered. I just hoped that my body would stop hurting enough to let me interact with the new leopard. I dosed up on maximum strength Tylenol to see if that would give me some relief. I needed a distraction desperately from my horrible sleepwalking episode. Going into the zoo became my main goal.

I lucked out as Ray was very distracted on the phone with some crisis going on up near the area of his restaurants in Vicksburg, Mississippi. I got the impression that the area might be hit by some massive tornadoes in the next few hours. All the conditions seemed to be set up just right for their formation. Ray was trying to figure out how to help his employees and protect his major real estate and business investments up north.

Escaping without having to talk to him, I rushed off to the zoo. My mom and sister had decided to go back to Baton Rouge, yesterday afternoon. I really needed to call my mom and tell her all about the capture of the black leopard, but I especially didn't want to speak with her right now. I just knew that I would totally break down once I heard her voice. I wasn't ready to deal with things. I wanted to live in denial for a while.

"Wow, Abs. When you said you'd be in first thing in the mornin', you weren't lyin'," Della greeted me as I walked into the zoo office.

"How's our boy?" I asked, skipping the small talk.

"You mean _your _boy," Della corrected, giving me her best sassy black woman look.

I felt my cheeks warm and a ducked my head a little. "Yeah," I confessed.

"He was pretty restless all night. He threw up too. Probably an after effect of the sedative," Della reported.

"Is he okay now?" I asked, concerned. "Did you take a look at his puke?"

Della made a disgusted face at me before she answered. "Yes, I did. You've got some kinda freaky gourmet leopard on your hands, cher. I found remnants of what looked like a burger and fries, plus a strawberry milkshake. He's fine now, just pacin' his cage."

I felt my eyes widen in surprise. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope."

"Where in the hell would he get his paws on that kind of food?"

"Beats me, Abs. That could be another reason he threw up. No big kitty should be eatin' people food," Della proclaimed.

I hoped that whoever had been taking care of him hadn't let him eat like that very often. "Thanks for staying with him last night, Del. I really appreciate it."

"Hell, it was good overtime, and I had nothin' else better to do," she said with a laugh.

"Still," I replied. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Abs. He's all yours now. Brian'll be in later on this mornin'. He went to go see his mom last night, and ended up stayin' at her place, they talked so long," Della informed me.

"It's probably good for both of them," I commented. "He hasn't been to see her in a while. I'm glad he could."

"Bye, cher," Della called on her way out.

"Bye, Del."

I secured my purse up in my desk drawer, pulled my honey-blond hair up into a pony tail, and turned my computer on in my office. Then I grab a tranq gun and a walkie-talkie, before I went to see Achilles. There would be security guards on duty if I ran into any trouble, and Toby and Keith would be in a little later. I was going in to see the big cat a little more prepared this time. The leopard's stunt last night with my belt loop still had me spooked.

I quietly opened the door to the where the leopard was caged. Della was right, he was pacing up and down the length of his cage, clearly agitated. That all changed as soon as he caught sight of me. He paused as he recognized me, and he headed straight over to the bars, sawing at me in greeting.

"Well, hello there, Achilles," I cooed to him. "It's good to see you too. Della told me you lost your lunch last night. Whoever gave you a burger, fries, and a milkshake is on my shit list."

The leopard's sawing noise changed to sound almost like a laugh at my statement. I must have been hearing things. I was still feeling highly disturbed from my morning's adventure. "I'll give you some real leopard food when you feel up to it," I said, trying to shake off the panic that was attempting to slip over me.

I now found _myself _pacing nervously up and down the length of the cage room, just like Achilles had been pacing his enclosure. I forced myself control my breathing; I'd pass out from hyperventilation if I didn't. _I shouldn't have come in here today in my state of mind, _I thought to myself. _Achilles is going to pick up on my bad vibes, and that might throw him into a tizzy. _

"I'm sorry, big guy," I then said, stopping not far from his cage, "but I'm not in a good frame of mind right now. I'd better go."

Achilles roared his displeasure, making me back away from the bars. "I had a really bad night, baby. I'm—I'm—," I couldn't finish. My legs gave way, and I ended up on the sitting on the floor in a heap. I could felt the tears and hysteria starting to come on. _So much for shoving unpleasant things to the back burner. I'm going to erupt._

Suddenly, I felt a paw brush the top of my bowed head. It startled me enough to make me look back up. Achilles had stretch himself to the limit to reach me through the bars with one of his long front legs. I could have sworn he was trying to comfort me. His paw brushed my head again. I felt the tears slip down my cheeks. I was shaking too. My eyes met the leopard's, and I swear I saw sympathy reflected in them.

Unconsciously, I scooted closer to him, until I was sitting right up against the bars and the concrete wall they were fastened into. Achilles rubbed up against the bars and against me. Even though the bars separated us, I could still feel most of his soft fur slide cross my skin. He then lay down next to me, continually rubbing his head and neck against the bars and me. He licked at my face gently.

I sat there crying quietly while this strange, but sweet animal comforted me. I started stroking him under his chin and up his jaw line. It really did seem to calm me. It let me release the fear and panic I was letting build up inside. It was so surreal, but in a good way.

"Thanks, Achilles," I whispered. He sawed back at me. "I think I'm losing my mind, buddy," I then confessed to him. "I think I'm really cracking up."

Achilles let out a growl of encouragement, like he was urging me to go on. I fumbled for words. "I—I…um…I think I ate—a long-eared hare—last night. That's not something a normal, civilized human being would do. I mean—I acted more like you would. I—I—think I hunted it down, tore it apart, and ate it raw. How—how could I do that? Why—would I do that? What's wrong with me?"

I actually looked at the leopard like he could answer my question. He simply stared back at me with soft, kind eyes. Then he licked my face profusely, as if to tell me it was okay.

"Maybe I need to go see a shrink," I mused. "I've been having these god-awful nightmares for a while too. There has to be a reason. Maybe a shrink could shed some light on it."

Achilles roared his disapproval of that suggestion. "Well then, Mr.-Smarty-Pants-Leopard, what do you suggest I do?" Achilles just stared at me, thumping his tail lazily. "That's what I thought."

Then another thought occurred to me. "Maybe this is a heretical disorder, linked to the fever and the seizures. I wonder if others in my biological family have suffered similarly, the way I'm suffering. I should look deeper into my biological family. I've been half-heartedly trying to, but maybe I should just bite the bullet and go for it all the way." Achilles sawed his approval this time. "Oh, you like that, huh? There's one other thing I could try," I finally came around to admitting. "There's this guy—kinda creepy—but he might have some answers for me. I might have been too quick to dismiss his claims. I should see if he would talk to me about all this weirdness."

Achilles made no comment on my last thoughts. He even seemed to grow very still and wouldn't look at me now. I decided to go on anyway. If just felt good to voice all of it out loud. "His name's Valen, and I'm now thinking that he might have been really serious about wanting to talk to me about my origins. Maybe I should give him another chance. If he'd even talk to me again. The thing is, the guy scares me, but at the same time it's kind of exciting being around him. I mean I'm attracted to him, but probably for all the wrong reasons. I shouldn't be attracted him either, I'm getting married in a few weeks. But, now I find myself having second thoughts about that. Maybe my cracking up is a sign that I should call things off. Oh hell, I'm so messed up." I started to sob again.

My hand faltered in stroking Achilles. He had stopped licking my face and was now licking my hand, slowly and deliberately. Then he covered my hand with one of his large paws. I looked up in to his eyes again and saw such compassion in them that I couldn't help but reach in with both hands to try and hug the animal. He didn't resist; in fact, he tried to help.

Suddenly, I wanted to throw caution to the wind. I didn't want the bars to separate me from my new friend. "Hold on," I told him with a sniffle, pulling away and heading to around to the access panel into his enclosure.

He eagerly bounded over to the door to the inside of his cage when he realized what I was doing. He scratched at it lightly in anticipation. It took me a few moments to open it up. I had to wipe at my eyes and find the right key. Achilles backed away as I came through the door, giving me room to come in. Then he slowly and non-threateningly approached me. He proceeded to rub up against my legs, gently, careful not to knock me over.

I squatted down and used both hands to pet both sides of his face. I shouldn't have been in here, so close to this wild animal. Part of me knew that I was taking my life in my hands by coming in here. Brian would have my hide if he caught me in here with an animal that was considered highly dangerous and highly unpredictable. I had certain knowledge, however, that this beast meant me no harm. Why he was bonding with me so quickly and so completely was very mysterious, but I wasn't going to question it. I needed this strange unconditional love he was offering me.

Achilles then rose up a bit and put his front paws on my shoulders. I slid my around arms around him in a hug. His head rested on my shoulder, and mine rested on his broad back. I began to cry again in earnest, but it didn't seem to bother the leopard. I don't know how long we stayed like that, but it was a long time. Finally, I sat on the floor of the cage, and he curled up next to me and encouraged me to pet him. I sniffled some more and rested back against one of the concrete walls.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I was aware of was Brian's shocked gasp. "Abby! What are you doing?"

It took me a few seconds to realize why he was so upset. Then it came to me that I was still in with Achilles. He remained curled up under my arm, his head resting in my lap, like a pet dog. I just looked at Brian, not sure how to answer him. Finally, I joked, "Just taking a cat nap," trying to be funny.

"That's not funny, Abigail," he said sternly. "You need to come back out here. _Now_," he ordered.

"I'm fine. We're fine," I replied, not moving. The animal was soft and warm beside me, still asleep. It felt so good; peaceful. "We both needed a little tender loving care."

"I don't want you in there with that mon—wild animal," he corrected himself a little too late.

"Were you going to call this sweet kitty a monster?" I asked, appalled.

"Just trust me. _That _leopard _is_ dangerous," Brian insisted.

"Did something come back in the blood and urine tests?"

"No, not yet."

"Have the police or animal control people identified this leopard as the 'killer' one?"

"No."

"Then what are you basing your judgment on, Brian?" I wanted to know. I was getting highly irritated.

"My gut," was his angry answer.

"I think that you just have a bad case of ingestion," I bit out sarcastically, getting ticked. _Where's this coming from? _I wondered. _Why is Brian being such an ass? Why is he rushing to judgment all of a sudden?_

I watched Brian's jaw clench, but he controlled this tone of voice. "Please come out of there right now. I don't like you in there. It scares me."

"Things are fine. Achilles has been a good boy this morning. He's been very affectionate. I'm confident he won't hurt me," I argued.

"How many people have we heard say that, and then they've ended up dead?"

"This is different. I can't explain it. It's just different."

"That's what the dead people said too, Abby. Come out now, or I'll suspend you," Brian threatened.

I just looked at him in disbelief. I'd never seen Brian like this or take this kind of hard-nose stance. "Uh, okay," I finally agreed.

Slowly and carefully, I moved to stand up, my body protesting with muscle pain and stiffness. I gently slid out from under the leopard's head, trying not to disturb him. Achilles stirred the second I moved, despite my gingerness. He lazily opened his eyes and blinked at me a couple of times.

"Sorry, big guy," I whispered soothingly. "I've gotta go get some work done. I'll be back. Promise. Thanks for letting my cry on your shoulder." I said the last part as softly as possible, close to his ear. I didn't want Brian to hear me.

To my surprise, Achilles yawned and just shook himself more awake, letting me get up and leave the enclosure without a fuss. I thought for sure he'd make some kind of stink about it. Maybe he really was taking my words to heart, not wanting to be separated from me permanently by acting threatening or dangerous. _Animals don't reason like that, _I reminded myself. _How's it that he gets what he needs to do?_

However, his good behavior only went so far. As soon as I was safely out of the enclosure, he growled menacingly, glaring at Brian, baring his fangs. Brian just looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders. "He must not like you. He doesn't do that with me," I informed my boss. "Maybe he's picking up on your hostility towards him and is giving it back to you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Abby," Brian huffed. "Animals can't think that deeply."

"But they can be extremely sensitive to emotional vibes, and yours is _not_ friendly," I said accusatorily. "You mind explaining to me where this 'gut' feeling of yours is coming from all of a sudden?"

Brian now seemed to backpedal a little bit. "You saw the state he was in yesterday morning. He was violent — out of control even. Nobody in their right mind would go in there and cuddle with the damn thing."

That statement angered me. Maybe because it hit a little too close to home. I probably wasn't in my right mind at the moment. "His growling at you is the first sign of aggression I've seen from him today. He's been nothing but sweet and gentle with me. In fact, I think he likes my attention."

"Probably because he equates you to the three women he has torn limb from limb," Brian said under his breath, but I'd heard him.

"What did you just say?" I asked, my voice rising. "Why are you determined to pin these mutilations on Achilles?"

"Because I don't believe in coincidences either, Abby," Brian told me. "You need to open your eyes and stop letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Don't get attached to that animal. It will only make it that much harder on you when it has to be destroyed."

Now my mouth fell open. Brian had already condemned the leopard and was questioning my competency. _Maybe he should, _a little voice whispered in the back of my mind. "You still haven't given me a real answer to my question. You've pussy-footed around it, so I'll ask it again. Where is your gut feeling coming from that Achilles is a man-killer?"

Brian looked at the floor and shifted awkwardly. He cleared his throat nervously. "It's just something my mom and I talked about last night," he still hedged.

"And?" I prompted impatiently.

He cleared his throat again, hesitating to explain himself. "This isn't the first time the zoo has had dealings with a rogue black leopard, Abs. My mom told me about the experience she and my dad had with a viciously evil leopard who took the life of one of their co-workers. His name was Joe Creigh, and the animal tore his arm off. Joe bled to death in mere minutes. He was only twenty-six, Abs."

I was horrified. I had never heard this story from anyone at the zoo, past or present. "When was this?" I found myself wanting to know, unable to keep myself from asking.

"About thirty years ago or so," Brian replied. "There's more, but…," he faltered.

"But what?"

"I don't know if I should tell you. You probably won't believe me. You'll think I'm crazy."

"Brian," I sighed, "I really want to understand where you're coming from. Please tell me."

He shifted awkwardly again, then stepped forward, taking me by my arm, and gently pulling me further away from Achilles' enclosure. Then he said quietly, "The leopard was traced back to its owner. It had been kept in a basement, a lot like a dungeon, from how my mom tells the story. Its owner had been feeding or sacrificing homeless women, runaways, and prostitutes to it. Women that nobody would miss. Parts of numerous bodies were found and dug up."

I felt all the color drain out of my face at his tale. "Oh my God!" I whispered in shock.

Brian seemed to have to steel himself for the next part. He took a deep breath, finally looking me in the eye. "The owner was a man named Paul Gailler," he said simply, but with great effort.

That name washed over me with a harsh, biting feeling deep inside. I recognized it from the information I'd read online about the circus. The one where the husband and wife had killed themselves. Paul Gallier had been their son and had lived in an orphanage most of his life. He had bounced around through quite a few foster homes too. I gulped as I caught the knowing look Brian was giving me, willing me to put the pieces together.

"Who else do we know with that last name?" he asked me outright.

"Valen," I said, the name slipping from me before I could stop it.

Brian said what my brain was processing. "I think Valen _is_ Paul's son. I think he's following his in father's psychotic footsteps. I think Valen is this animal's master and has let him loose on unsuspecting woman to kill them. His fixation on you was probably to make you his next victim. Either that or Beth."

I didn't want to believe it. Valen was creepy and aggressive, but could he really be an actual murderer? This leopard wasn't one; I knew that without a doubt. I shook my head. "No, no, no," I ground out. "This animal is not a man-killer. I've looked into its eyes, Brian. It's not a tool for some mad man."

"Until we can verify for sure," Brian said forcefully, "I want you to keep your distance. I don't want you to end up like Joe Creigh. My mother said his death ate away at my father, night after night for years. I'm not going to let that happen under my watch."

Brian had a point. He'd given me good and sound reasoning for the way he felt. But my gut was telling me he was wrong. Maybe not about Valen, but about this leopard. Something told me that he was not the killer here. I would humor Brian, for his peace of mind, until we had proof one way or the other.

"Agreed," I finally said. "I'll do as you say, now that I get where you're coming from. I know that you are just trying to look out for me."

The relief on Brian face and in his body language was palpable. "Thank you, Abby. You are not only my best employee, but you are my friend too. I just don't want to see you get hurt. I couldn't live with myself if something bad happened to you, especially here on the job. You tend to take a lot risks, my dear."

He hugged me to him then to emphasize his point. I let my head rest on his shoulder as I hugged him back. "I know," was all I could say.

"I'll let you observe and care for this animal, but no more getting in the cage with it," Brian said, pulling away. "It hasn't been properly declawed or its teeth shaved and crowned. And somebody needs to be with you anytime you interact with this leopard in any way."

"Fair enough," I replied, not wanting to fight anymore. "I wanted to try and feed him. See if he had any kind of appetite."

"Then I'll help you," Brian said. "I'll go get some of the cow meat out of the big fridge." With that, he left me standing by the door out of the enclosure room.

I blew out my breath and looked toward Achilles at the back of his cage. He was watching me intently. "I know you're not a man-killer, big guy. I'm sure all the evidence that will come back will exonerate you."

Achilles gave me a soft growl in reply.

* * *

After feeding Achilles two huge pieces of cow meat, which he wolfed down to my delight, I decided to go to my office for a little while. Achilles was sleeping off his meal, and I wanted to research more of what Brian had told me about Paul Gallier and the black leopard he'd had. Something told me that there was much more to the story than what Brian had told me, and it was nagging at me.

_Could Valen really be this Paul's son? _I thought to myself as I sat down at my desk. _Could he be some kind of serial killer like Paul was supposed to be? Was I really going to be his next victim? Had he been dating Beth just to choose her? _ _Could Achilles really be a serial killer's weapon of choice? _It all made my head hurt.

Even after all the strange and sometimes frightening stunts Valen had pulled, and the fact that I'd gotten a danger vibe from him; I just couldn't get the sense that he was a murderer. It was weird, but all my instincts and intuition said otherwise. I'd called him a sociopath, but I don't know if I really believed that or not. Maybe Valen was a good actor, or maybe he really did have something important to tell me about where I came from and just had no idea how to really approach me about it. Achilles certainly wasn't the monster Brian wanted to paint him as. Sure, he could turn on anyone in a heartbeat, but that would be because he was a wild animal, not because he was trained to kill people.

I started an Internet search into Paul Gallier, looking for some real sources that might give me some actual facts. I cross-referenced it with New Orleans and Brian's mother and father's names. All kinds of weird and crazy results came up. I spent a good hour sifting through all the stuff the computer spit back out at me. Finally, I found some news articles from the _Times-Picayune_, the main local newspaper for New Orleans. They dated back to 1982, almost thirty years ago, so I knew Brian's timeline was factual, at least.

A Detective Brandt had been interviewed in one of the articles. I decided to read that in full detail. The detective was brief but informative. He talked about how a young girl, Irena Gallier, had flagged down a patrol car because she thought someone was after her. Upon taking her home, the dog in the policeman's car went nuts, catching the scent of something. This led the police to check out the house, and they found a literal dungeon in the basement full of carnage.

I paused, remembering Irena's name from the article on the circus. She was Paul's sister. So they must have found each other later in life. Brian hadn't mentioned her at all. I thought that was rather odd. The poor girl finally got reunited with the only family she had left, and he turned out to be a serial killer. That was just too tragic for words.

The detective went on to explain what was found in the basement. The smell of death and decay had been overwhelming; it was no wonder the dog had picked up on it. There were at least the mutilated remains of four bodies, with more dug up in shallow graves later. There had been thick chains and a collar to tether a large, wild animal with. There were several, chain-link fence cages with thick locks on them. The detective figured Paul Gallier had killed his victims— all later identified as women—as part of some sacrificial ceremony, and then fed them to a leopard he was keeping. Paul Gallier had grown up around big cats; his parents had been lion-tamers. When Paul Gallier's background had been investigated it was found that he'd been in and out of mental institutions since he was ten, after he and Irena's parents had killed themselves. The detective also chalked it all up to Paul being a religious fanatic as well.

I had to sit back in my chair after reading the news article to take it all in. It was just as Brian had told me; he wasn't making any of it up. I needed to know more; no, I _had_ to know more. The possibilities of what it all meant or could mean, made me shudder and my mind whirl. I started scanning back through another handful of links. Another _Times-Picayune _article suddenly caught my rapt attention.

It was an interview with Paul Gallier's housekeeper from prison, trying to get her take on the whole gruesome affair. She had been convicted on being an accomplice to Paul's heinous crimes. Her name was what stuck out to me like a bright neon sign: it was Female. That was the name of the woman Valen and Beth had mentioned as being Valen's one link to his real father. Beth had thought that Female had gone to prison over an immigration issue. That obviously had to be a lie that Valen had spun for her.

So it was true. Brian's speculations and suspicions were right on the money. Valen _had_ to be Paul Gallier's son. There were too many coincidences about the situation for him not to be. I dove into Female's interview article, morbid curiosity fueling me.

She talked about becoming a surrogate mother to Paul. She had found him living in the streets as a teenager and took him in. She knew he was a troubled young man, but it had taken her by surprise that he could be a murderer. Female claimed to have known nothing about what the police had found in the basement. I could tell the reporter didn't believe that for a second from his commentary.

_How could you live in the same house year after year and not have knowledge that a large, wild animal was being housed in your basement? _I mirrored the reporter's skepticism. _You'd have to hear it roar or growl from time to time. Wouldn't you smell the decaying bodies at some point?_

Female went on to talk about Paul's missionary work as a minster of a local church. How he was concerned for the welfare of others and saving their souls. She also told the reporter about his fondest dream; to be reunited with his long-lost sister, Irena. He had spent years trying to locate her. "To fill the hole in his life", was how Female put it. Unfortunately, their reunion was not the joyful experience either sibling had expected.

As an adoptee myself, I could relate. It would horrify me beyond belief to find a long, lost brother or sister just to find out they were nuts or a criminal. That was half the reason I'd never really wanted to look into my birth family. I already had a wonderful family that loved me, and I knew I could count on. But, it sounded like both Paul and Irena hadn't been blessed with any of what I had been blessed with. Valen hadn't had what I'd had either.

It tore at my heart. A moment later, I felt a tear slide down my cheek. _Wow, I'm a big sap, _I laughed internally at myself, wiping the wetness with the back of my hand. Then my thoughts turned in a different direction. _What had finally happened to Paul and Irena? How had their story ended? Had they ever found the leopard that Paul had kept?_

"I guess I need to find out," I whispered to myself.

I continued my Internet search looking for an answer to my questions. I hunted and hunted through numerous websites, link after link. I even tried to dig into the _Times-Picayune _online archives to find any clues. From what little I found, it seemed as if Paul had disappeared. Irena seemed to have too. The leopard appeared to have been killed, but then I found another source saying that one ended up on exhibit at the zoo. Then I remember Valen saying something about a jealous lover's friend having killed his father. _How does that fit in with everything?_

My stomach grumbled loudly, letting me know that I hadn't eaten in a while. My head was pounding, and my body aching from last evening's night terrors. I looked at the clock on my tan office wall and blinked. _It couldn't be past five, could it? _ _I haven't been on the computer for over six hours, I have? Shit._

I needed to go check in with Brian, and then visit Achilles again. I also wanted to pay our lab guys a visit. I had gotten way too involved in my little research project. The frustrating part was that I didn't feel any closer to figuring things out. A little voice was whispering that I should see if I could go and visit with this Female, get my answers right from the woman's mouth. I was hoping Beth might know where she lived or had a phone number that I could call.

_What if that leads me to run into Valen? _I suddenly wondered. A tingle of excitement at seeing him again ran down my spine. _What the hell is wrong with me? _ Then the fear, embarrassment, and uncomfortableness of that scenario hit me, like it should have. _That might not be the best situation. Ray's got a lawyer drawing up a restraining order._ My thoughts switched yet again. _What if he really does have some important answers for me? He surely would know if Paul really was his father and what happened. He really could have information about my birth family, my heritage, where I came from. Valen had also said something to me about my birth mother working with lions and tigers in the circus she grew up in. Could all this be just weird coincidence? Probably not._

Brian chose that moment to poke his head in my office. "You alive?"

He startled me out of my thoughts. "I think," I answered slowly. "I didn't realize I'd gotten so absorb on the computer."

Brian laughed. "I checked on you a couple of hours ago, but you looked so into what you were doing, I didn't want to bother you then. Now, however, I thought that you could use something to eat, so I got you a roast beef sandwich from the zoo deli. I hope that's okay."

It sounded wonderful. "Thanks, boss. You read my mind," I told him as he came into the office and offered me said sandwich complete with chips and a Coke.

I then realized that I hadn't eaten anything today after having puked my guts out over the dead rabbit. Contrary to earlier, my stomach definitely wanted food now. I was famished. I unwrapped the plastic from around the sandwich and almost moaned at the first bite.

Brian just shook his head at me and chuckled. "You need to watch your eating schedule. It's not good to forget to eat. What were you researching so diligently?"

I tried not to choke on my sandwich when I heard his question. I didn't want to tell him that it was about Paul. "Just stuff on black leopards. Achilles has got me very intrigued."

"I should have known. You probably should check on our other felines, however" he said pointedly.

I'd forgotten about the Amurs. How could I do that? "Ah, hell, Brian. I'm just off today," was all I could think to say.

"I've noticed. It's understandable though with all the excitement yesterday. When you've eaten and done your rounds, we'll go visit the lab. They should have some results by now," Brian said still shaking his head at me.

"That would be great," I replied with enthusiasm. "Sorry, I'm such a slacker today."

"It's been a quiet day, and you've had a lot on your plate. I'm not too worried," Brian said cordially.

My cell phone rang loudly from within one of my desk drawers. I'd forgotten I'd thrown it in there. I hunted through a couple of drawers and found it in the second one down. I hurriedly grabbed and answered it. "Abs," I said, recognizing Ray's cell number right away.

"Hey, Abby," Ray's warm voice greeted me.

"Hi, Ray," I said happily back, realizing that I had really missed talking to him today. This morning had been such a funky mess.

"I have some bad news," he said hesitantly. "I hope you won't hate me when you hear what I need to tell you."

He had me worried and shocked all at the same time. "What's wrong?" I asked my voice breathy.

"We're not going to be able to get married," was all I heard before I dropped the phone.

TBC...

* * *

Like my cliffhanger? What is Ray talking about? How did this chapter go over? Let me know. There will be more to come.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** This story is loosely based on the 1982 movie called _Cat People _from Universal Studios. All of the rights, original ideas, and characters belong to Allen Ormsby and Dewitt Bodeen. I'm using their basic premise and am using just a few of their characters briefly in my story. The rest of the stuff contained within is all mine. No copyright infringement is meant, and I'm writing just for fun and not for any monetary gain.

**Author's Note:** Sorry to leave the cliffhanger for so long. The holidays are a nutty time for me. This chapter is a way to move the story forward in a stronger way. It is setting up a way for Abby to really be exposed to the truth about her heritage. I wrote a scene in it that plays on ideas from the movie too. Hope it goes over well. Reviews are very welcome. Thanks go to my faithful beta, RadcliffePotter for her proofreading and editing. Happy reading.

**Rating T:** For romantic imagery.

* * *

**Chapter 12 **

"What did you just say, Ray?" I replied, almost hysterical when I recovered the phone from the floor. "Did you just say that you don't want to marry me anymore? Why? What's happened?" It felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to my gut.

I heard Ray let out a kind of sighing laugh. "You only heard the first part of what I said, huh?"

I gulped and said, "Yeah," quietly.

"What I should have said is that we are going to have to _postpone _the wedding a little," he clarified. "Sorry for my poor choice of wording. I didn't mean to give you a heart attack. I love you more than life itself, Abigail Laroche, so relax."

"Good to know," I said, trying to get my heart to calm down. "So why do we have to postpone our wedding?"

"You remember the tornado warnings for up in Vicksburg, Mississippi? Well, the city got hit. Big time. Two huge twisters leveled the city and the surrounding areas."

"Oh my God, Ray. Your employees! Your restaurants!" I gasped.

Ray took a shaky breath. "Exactly. I'm actually driving up there as we speak. Depending on the damage to both people and structures, I'll have to be up in Vicksburg for a while. Weeks even, helping put things back together and taking care of those who work for me. I'm really sorry about the timing, Abs."

My heart went out to him. Anger at him never entered my mind. "You have nothing to apologize for. You can't control what Mother Nature decides to do. I know the personal responsibility you feel for everything and everyone."

"You are the best, Abigail Laroche. I _will _make it _all_ up to you. Thanks for being so understanding. Do you mind contacting all the wedding people and telling them that we're on hold, only temporarily, and we'll let them know as soon as we can when preparations can resume?"

That was a lot of work, but Ray would have his hands full up in Vicksburg. "Yeah, I think I can handle that," I told him. "You'll stay in constant touch with me? Letting me know what's going on every step of the way?"

"Absolutely, Abs. Absolutely."

"Good. Then be careful. I love you, Ray.

"I love you too, Abby. I'll call you when I get settled."

"Kay. Bye Ray."

"Bye, Abs."

My hands were shaking as I hung up the phone. My life had literally flashed before my eyes. For one real moment I thought that Ray was telling me that he no longer wanted to marry me. Of course, my lovely mind jumped right to the worst-case scenario. I forced myself to take long, deep breaths to bring my heart rate back under control. Then the relief set in. After that came the disappointment. Ray and I were still getting married, but we'd have to put it off until he got things settled in Vicksburg.

"What's up, Abby?" Brian asked with concern etching his face.

I took a big sip of Coke before I answered. "Ray had to go up to Vicksburg suddenly. Two tornadoes hit the area, and he has businesses and employees up there he feels he needs to take care of."

"You went white as a sheet," Brian commented. "You really thought he was breaking off the wedding? Why would you think that?"

It took me a moment to find the right words to answer him, so I took another sip of Coke to stall. I couldn't tell Brian all my doubts and fears. We were good friends, but not _that _good of friends. "With all the crap that has been going on the last little while, I just thought that maybe it might have gotten to Ray. It has taken us both a long time to get to this point. I thought that maybe he'd had second thoughts."

Brian just started at me. "Are you really _that _dense, Abby?" he asked.

Now it was my turn to just look at him. He'd really insulted me.

"Chill out, Abs," he said in response to my narrowed eyes. "I'm not trying to be rude, but I guess you just don't see it for some reason. Ray has been ready to marry you for years. It's _you_ who has taken so long to come around to the conclusion that you two are perfect for each other. It's _you _that Ray has had to wait on. I don't see him ever wanting to back out of it."

I felt my mouth hang open. Brian sounded a lot like my mom. It was eerie. Was the issue really me? Maybe so. "I'm more insecure than you'd think," was my response.

Brian only smiled at me and shook his head again. "We all are, Abs. We all are. I'll check in with you in a bit so we can go look for those labs results together."

"Thank, Brian."

"You're welcome." Then he left me to finish my meal.

I did my rounds, visiting all the big cats and some of our other predators. They all seemed in prime condition, expect that two of the black bears had gotten into a fight and needed some patching up. My Amurs were extra ecstatic to see me. All four of them greeted me with great affection, something rare for solitary leopards. The sun had set, so they were all up and about. Jane seemed a little tired, but then she was pregnant. Rose was playful. Tarzan and Austin were downright amours. It was weird, but comforting.

After learning that I wasn't getting married as soon as I'd wanted to and after how I'd found myself this morning, it was nice to feel so loved. The leopards all rubbed up against me, licked my hands, wanted me to play with them, and wanted me to stroke and pet them. Toby and Keith came to feed them, and they all had a good appetite. All in all it was a nice visit and check up.

Now I needed to check on Achilles. I'd saved what I thought was the best for last. I was still pondering his very unusual show of affection today. He had literally let me cry on his shoulder and tried to make me feel better when I had broken down in front of him and confessed all. I had never seen anything like it.

That made my mind wander to my birth mother. Valen had told me that she had gotten on well with the big cats too. She had worked with them in the circus her family ran. From what I'd read on Paul and Irena's parents, they had too. _Does that mean I'm like all of them? If I share their big cat affinity, does that mean I also share the mental illness issues as well? Does it mean that I could fall into a depression so deep that I'd want to commit suicide? Does it mean that I could become some religious fanatic serial killer? What had my mother _really_ been like? Why had she wanted out of the family business so badly? Who was my father? _

Deep down something told me no, I wasn't like my mother or the Galliers. I'd grown up in a totally different environment. I hadn't been a part of their lifestyles. I hadn't had the tragedy in my life that they had had. But somehow the relation to the big cats had to be a genetic trait. That I felt confident about that. So that must mean it was common to Valen too. Maybe that was why he'd been able to get Tarzan to back down. _Could he really be homicidal like his father? Controlling an animal like Achilles to be his weapon of choice? God, I hope not._

I had so many questions swimming around in my head. Maybe Ray's being out of town could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe I could use the extra time I had now before I got married to figure all of it out. It would be nice to go into marriage with Ray free of all this baggage that was weighing me down.

Achilles was pacing his cage with an agitated gate. He turned to me as I stepped through the door. He roared a greeting at me, flashing fang. "You're still trying to exert your dominance, huh?" I humorously asked him. He roared again in answer.

I wasn't supposed to be in here without another team member, but I was kind of ignoring that rule. That was me, the rebel. "How ya doing, big guy?" I cooed to him.

He made his way to bars and rubbed up against them. Then he looked me expectantly. I couldn't define what was in his eyes, but it was that same strange intelligence that I'd seen in them before. He wanted me to come closer. "What is it with you and your eyes, babe?" I couldn't help but ask. "You are the most unique creature I've ever met."

When I didn't come closer, the black leopard jumped up on his hind legs, raising himself up. He leaned on the bars and sawed at me. The look in his eyes looked almost pleading now. I couldn't resist. If Brian caught me getting up close and personal again, he'd have a fit. Screw it. Brian could have his fit. I slowly approached the huge cat. He lifted his chin so I could give it a good scratch. His purr vibrated throughout the room. I let my hand slide down his throat and belly, and then back up again, over and over. Achilles' tongue lolled out, and his eyes closed in serenity. His fur was warm and soft under my hand. I closed my eyes too, savoring his coat's velvety feel.

"You've been a good boy today, Achilles," I told him opening my eyes to look at him again.

I realized I was only inches away from him. His exquisite blue-green eyes stared right into mine. I was mesmerized, like the times before. I felt a connection so deep, it made my heart ache. This animal was a kindred spirit. Somehow we were the same. A great force inside me came to life when I was this close to him. I could it feel it rising up from within, almost coming to the surface. I was meant to find him and help him. I caught a fire in his eyes, a strange passion that I found fascinating. I wanted to rub my face in his fur— feel the softness caress my cheeks. The bars prevented me from fulfilling this desire, however. Achilles slowly and sensually started licking my face, his pink tongue making it through the bars easily. I never let the other leopards do this; lick me right in the face. I couldn't resist Achilles though. He had a power over me that I both welcomed and feared, just a little.

"Where did you come from?" I whispered to him. "How did you end up in New Orleans in a Victoria's Secret store?"

He ignored me, continuing to lick my face. I pulled back and placed one hand on each side of his face. "What are you?" I asked feeling my breath hitch as I was pulled deep into his eyes, into his soul. _Did wild animals really have souls? _I mentally wondered. This leopard was almost human. I could just about taste it in the air. "Who raised you to be like this?"

Achilles just growled low in his throat and pulled out of my hands. He went to the back of the cage and plunked himself down. Then he laid his head on his large front paws. It looked like he was sulking. I cocked my head to one side and studied him for a while. The leopard kept looking down at the floor, and then he'd look back up at me briefly before looking at the floor again.

"What's wrong?" I finally asked.

Before Achilles could respond, Brian showed up. "Abby," he chided me. "You're not supposed to be in here by yourself."

I sighed. "I know. I was just checking on him. Nothing that really needs two people to do."

"I'll let it go. This time. You ready to go down to the lab to see what they came up with?"

"Yeah. I'd like to work on some of samples myself too."

"You don't trust out techs?"

"I do, but it doesn't hurt to double check."

"You want to fight bad news if you get it," Brian accused softly.

I looked at him. "Exactly," I admitted.

"What is it with you and this animal? I mean I know you get attached easily, but not like this."

"I've been wondering that myself, Brian. There's just something special about him. I can't put my finger on it, but he's special."

"And if he's a killer?"

I wasn't going to face that possibility yet. "I don't know. Ask me that later _if _it has any basis in fact."

We left Achilles sulking in his corner and went to go down into the base of the building, down into the labs. Jamie Belford, the main lab technician, came to greet us as we entered. She was a tall red-head with dark brown eyes. She wore stylish glasses and the typical white lab coat.

"Brian said that you'd guys would be down here soon," she told us.

"Have any results yet?" I asked feeling nervous all of a sudden. I had been so sure of Achilles' innocence. Now doubt was creeping in. I wiped sweaty palms on my jeans.

"Yeah, we've put a rush on all the blood, urine, and saliva work," Jamie answered. "We worked on them all day yesterday and today. Normally, it would take longer, but we pulled it off quickly this time."

"And?" I asked impatiently.

"You initial findings were right on, Abigail," she told me. "No sign of any disease; bacteria or viral. No rabies, no distemper, and no encephalitis. There was also no sign of worms or other parasites. The black leopard is a very health specimen. Whoever it belongs to took very good care of it."

That was half the battle. The animal wasn't sick, and therefore, not a danger or mentally unstable. "Good," was all I said.

"What about any match ups with our man-killing animal the police want to know about?" Brian asked not beating around the bush.

"Come look for yourselves," Jamie said motioning us forward.

We followed her further into the lab, back to a table with all the samples collected from Achilles and from what the police had given us. While the leopard had been unconscious I had meticulously measured his bite radius and claw length and size. I had also cast a mold of his teeth. My measurements were laid out side by side with the ones I calculated out from the mutilation victims. I perused over all the evidence laid out on the table, taking my time, really looking at the results.

I was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief, the tension in my shoulders releasing. Achilles' measurements were much too large to be the killer cat. His teeth, jaw, and claws were all a lot bigger than what I'd extrapolated from what the police had provided me with. The DNA from the salvias were not anywhere near the same. We were looking at two different big cats. Both were leopards, but Achilles was not the one butchering women along the river.

"I think you owe someone an apology, Brian," I told my boss straight up.

He had the wisdom to look chagrined. "Okay. I was wrong. You were right, Abby, per usual. I'm sorry for doubting you. Again."

I smiled widely at him. "I appreciate that a lot, Brian, but I wasn't thinking of me."

"You want me to apologize to the leopard!" he asked me incredulously with wide eyes.

My smile grew wider. "Yeah. You jumped on him from the moment we discovered him. You've had it in for him from the get go. What's with that? He felt your hostility, and that made him respond in kind to you. You need to let him know that you're sorry for thinking he was a man-eater."

"It's just an animal, Abby," Brian said hesitantly. "It can't know what I think about it. It has no feelings to hurt."

I stared at Brian liked he grown a second head. "How can you say that after working around all the animals we take care of? They all have their own distinct personalities. They all are affected by how we treat them. Of course they have feelings, Brian! And this leopard is a _he _not an _it_. From what I observed today, he's very sensitive to his surroundings and his environment."

"I want more proof that this animal is not involved with the mutilations. If it truly isn't, then I'll give it a break. I want to be one hundred percent certain it's not to blame. I still feel finding it around the same time the multiations are going on is more than just a coincidence." Brian said firmly.

"You want more proof?" I asked, my voice rising. "In what way? We have all the proof we need right here." I pointed to all the items laid out on the table. "Where in the hell is this coming from, Brian? You've never been like this about a rogue wild animal before. What am I missing here?" I pressed. "I would almost swear this is something personal. What did this animal ever do to you?"

Brian went to answer, then thought better of it, closing his mouth in a grim line. He took a deep breath. "Maybe you should talk to my mom—about her and my dad's experience with a rogue black leopard. How it shattered their lives. I just don't want history repeating itself. We should have the police make Valen Gallier a person of interest in these mutilations as well, based on the evidence that he's a serial killer's son."

The last of what Brian said totally caught me off guard. How had Valen become an issue suddenly? I really was missing something here. "You lost me," was all I could think to say.

"Ray's out of town for a while, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you have time to come over for dinner at my mom's house. Once you've heard her story, you'll understand better where I'm coming from."

"You're inviting me to have dinner with you and your mom?"

"Yes, Abby. Why not?"

_Why not indeed?_ It might provide me with some of the missing pieces. Help me understand what Paul had really done and why. It might help me get a better handle on what was going on with Valen as well. If I could talk to Brian's mom _and_ talk to Female, I might just get the whole picture instead of just one side or the other.

"I guess that could be good idea," I answered after some thought. "Could I invite Beth to come to? She might want to hear about Valen's supposed father to feel more justified in dumping his ass." That was only half the reason that I wanted Beth to come. I felt I needed some moral support for some reason; like I couldn't handle the information all by myself.

"That would be a great idea," Brian said, finally brightening a little. "She needs to know how much danger she was in by dating someone like him. And my mom would love the company. How about after work tomorrow? Say around seven or so?"

Jamie had left us to ourselves, obviously not wanting to get in the middle of our argument. I wanted to talk a little more with her about all her test methods and how certain she was about her and her team's results. So I answered Brian as I started to walk deeper into the lab. "I'll check with Beth, but that sounds good to me."

"I'll talk to my mom. She will be thrilled to see you, Abs." Then he changed topics on me abruptly. "Abby, I want you to go down and talk to the medical examiner on this investigation. I want you to get access to what's left of the bodies and take a look for yourself. I want _our_ expert to take actual measurements from the source, not just from pictures, and compare them with what we took from our newest guest. Then I will feel better about that animal, if your conclusions and results still hold."

I blinked at Brian for a moment, not sure I'd heard him right and was stopped in my tracks. "You want me to examine the remains of the victims?" I think I gulped.

"If you feel up to it," Brian suddenly relented, watching the blood drain out of my face. "If it bothers your that much I won't make you go down there. I'm sorry. That was kind of thoughtless of me." He hung his head contritely now.

"No, I'll go, Brian. You obviously feel really passionate about all this. So do I. I'd like to clear Achilles' name once and for all. Can you make the arrangements?" I said without my voice shaking. Points for me.

Brian smiled weakly at me. "Sure thing. It might be a good idea to have one of the Animal Control people back us up as well. I'll see if that Gilroy character can meet you there and have a look too."

I didn't like that idea at all. The second opinion part was all right. You couldn't be too careful. But I didn't like the thought of working with Gilroy again. The man gave me a bad vibe. Not like the one I got from Valen; his was a sexy danger vibe. Go figure. Gilroy's was more sinister than that. He scared me, made my skin itch. That couldn't be a good sign. I don't know why I felt that way. I'd just meet him yesterday and didn't know him from Adam. Something in my gut, just didn't like him, however, and was wary of him.

"Whatever you think is best, Brian," I tried to say neutrally and with a blank expression. No need to let Brian know how I felt about Gilroy. I didn't want to start another argument.

"Good. Then it's settled. I'll let you know when the police and the M.E. will let you go down and take a look." Then Brian changed topics on me again. "You've been here all day, Abs. Since really early this morning. It's late. Go home and get some rest."

He was right. I was suddenly exhausted. The aches and pains from my middle of the night sleepwalking episode or whatever the hell you wanted to call it were making themselves known again. "Yeah. I think I will. I want to talk to Jamie for a minute, and then I'll head out."

I turned once more to walk deeper into the lab. "Abs?" came Brian's tentative voice.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry if I've offended you or if I'm being a hard ass. You _do_ know what you're doing. You're good at what you do. I need to not doubt that so much. I don't know what's wrong with me," he said slowly.

I smiled at him again. This time it was a real and friendly smile. "You're just doing your job, Brian. You're trying to look out for your employees and the people of this city. Part of me understands that. You're like Ray in that department. Besides, we've been friends too long for me to hold it against you for an extended period of time. I just need to know where you're coming from."

"You will tomorrow night. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, Abs."

* * *

Rough, strong hands held me tight on each side. It was like both of my arms were in vices. I was being carried/dragged along a rocky path. The ground was parched and cracked from drought on either side. The path itself was bleached white, but the ground beyond it was a deep reddish-orange. I'd never seen anything like it. It made the path seem like the great white backbone of some strange, skeletal beast. I was being taken towards a huge tree. It was blackened, but somehow I knew it was alive. It lacked leaves, but its trunk was enormous. Large and thick branches broke out on each side of the tree. They were unevenly spaced and reached forever upward. The sky was a strange red-orange color as well— sunset maybe.

I managed to look down at myself. My attire surprised as much as the landscape. I was dressed in a soft loin cloth type bottom and bikini-looking top. I didn't have a clue what kind of material it was, but it was a light brown color. My hair flowed freely, almost down to my waist, still its rich honey-blond color.

Then I saw the people that held me. They were both men. One had dark, ebony skin. The other was a deep tan color. Both were shaved bald and painted like they were wearing leopard print. They wore the same type of loin cloth thingy I had on, but they had a tunic part that draped over their left shoulders that was a vivid, red-orange color. It reminded me of the sky and ground beyond the path.

_What the hell is this? Where am I? Who are these people?_ I started to struggle, but found my response sluggish. I wasn't able to put up much of a fight_. Have I been drugged or something?_ I could now hear the wind blowing and could see it move the sandy dunes in the distance. Then I heard the drums: low, soft, and primal. They were almost hypnotic. A man's voice, deep and melodic, joined the drums. It sounded like he was humming or letting a sound vibrate out of his throat. He sung not words; just an even more hypnotic rhythm added that to the drums.

My body felt like it was liquid in the bizarre men's arms. It didn't take long to arrive at the base of the gigantic tree. The dark man pushed me up against the tree's trunk, while the other tan man took one of my arms and wrapped some kind of weird rope around my wrist. The rope was attached to one of the lower tree branches. The tan man came around the other side of me and wrapped another rope around my other wrist. This rope was also attached to a lower tree branch on the opposite side as the first one. The dark man tightened the slack in the rope to pull my arms up and over my head, but not enough to cause pain. My arms might eventually go numb or start to ache from the position that they'd been place in, but not immediately.

The drums and humming continued in the background, and I found myself swaying to the soothing rhythm. It was automatic and involuntary. I should have been freaking out. Screaming, struggling, and fighting my way free of my bonds. But I wasn't. I was strangely calm about the whole ordeal. I was almost content, feeling like I was floating, boneless and tranquil. I had to have been drugged. I was not the kind of person that was into this sort of thing. I still didn't understand what was going on or why I was here.

Then I heard it—the soft growl of a big cat. The growl grew into a roar, getting louder and louder. It suddenly came to me. I was a sacrifice. These strange leopard men were going to give me to some wild animal as an offering. My mind tried to will my body into action. I wanted to thrash and tug at the ropes. I wanted to run for my life. My body would not respond. It was languid, still swaying to the soft and primal rhythm of the drums. A second growling roar joined the first.

Fear swept through my body like a tidal wave. Sweat broke out my body, and I shivered. My heart beat fast and hard in my chest. My breath was coming in short, frightened gasps. Still my body did not put up a fight to get lose and flee. I could now make out a third roar. I was going to be torn apart by a group of big cats; probably leopards if the two men's painted looks had anything to do with it. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears now.

Three black forms appeared at the top of the sandy dunes. They slowly made their way down to the tree, to me. The two leopard men were gone, vanished from sight as night began to descend. The drums and voice were still present, however. The three big cats were, in fact, three black leopards, moving stealthily towards me. They started sawing a greeting to me, the roars and growling ceasing.

The large, predatory animals started circling me, around and around as they approached. It was becoming twilight now, the orange sky now looking more and more red. I was shaking with fear. I thought my heart was going to beat itself right out of my chest. I didn't want to be slaughter by the one animal I truly loved. "Please don't hurt me," I found myself begging them.

"They are not here to hurt you, my dear Abigail. They are here as your guardians," a familiar and sexy voice informed me.

I looked around to try and find the source of the voice. Up on the sandy dunes, stood the tall, dark, and handsome figure of a man. It was Valen. He was naked from the waist up. His chest was smooth and well-toned. His arms had nice muscle definition as well. He had on black jeans, low on his hips. He was barefoot. The wind blew through his black hair, making it feather softly. Something in my stomach tightened, and it had nothing to do with fear.

As I watched him slowly walk towards me, just as the black leopards had, I now struggled against the ropes because I wanted to go and meet him. I wanted to touch him, be held in his arms. My body burned for his touch. As he got closer, I noticed his beautiful, blue eyes were not normal. They were slit like that of a cat. Just like my eyes in the dance club's bathroom mirror, and just like his the night he'd chased me into the tree at the zoo. The three leopards had now jumped up into the tree above me, taking positions on three different branches.

"What's happening to me, Valen?" I called to him. "What's going on?"

"You're ready for the dream," was all he said. "This dream."

"What?" I exclaimed as he stood inches from me. I could feel the radiating warmth of his body. "What are you doing with a bunch of black leopards?"

He smiled at me, and my lower stomach pulled tighter, hormones firing to life. "These are our ancestors, Abigail. Our people. They have come to welcome you home. I have come to welcome you into my bed. We are meant to be mates, Abigail. You and I."

"Our people?" I parroted. "They are leopards, Valen!"

"Exactly," he said, pressing his body into mine. "I told you that you had a unique heritage. We are not like other people, Abigail. Ours is a mixed bloodline. We are the last of our kind. We are meant for each other."

He kissed me then, deep and sweet. My need to respond, to touch him, finally willed my body into action. I strained hard against my bonds, the ropes. Surprisingly, they broke with my new found effort. I slipped my hands up Valen's chest, and up into his hair, pushing his lips to mine more fervently. His lips were soft, and his tongue was magical. A loud and powerful growl erupted from deep within me.

This startled me and broke the moment. "What are you?" I asked, breathless.

"Your mate. Your _soul_ mate," he answered, rubbing his cheek against mine.

"Then what are we?" I managed to ask.

"The last of our kind," he said cryptically.

"And what kind would that be?"

"The last of the Cat People."

I stared at him, understanding and not understanding at the same time. Then he kissed me again and again, passionately, ravenously. I felt his hands start to tear at the little clothing I had on. We fell to the ground, oblivious to anything around us, focused only on each other. Some primal and savage force seemed to consume me. I wanted Valen more than life itself. No. I _needed _him more than life itself. I gave myself fully over to our passion play, giving as much pleasure as I was receiving.

* * *

I woke up with a start to the phone ringing. I sat up abruptly and scrambled to answer it on the nightstand. The whole thing had been a dream. Thank you, God. The problem was my body still didn't realize it had been a dream and my hormones were humming. I was alone; no Ray. I couldn't even turn to him for relief. I realized I was drenched in sweat. I was going to need a cold shower.

"Did I wake you, Abby?" Beth's voice asked apologetically after I mumbled a hello.

I looked at bedside clock. It was close to when I wanted to get up and get ready to go into the zoo anyway. "Yeah, but I was about to get up. No worries. What's up?"

"I got you message last night about dinner with Brian and his mom," Beth explained. "I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible. I can't do dinner tonight, but could we do it early next week? I've got late tours all this rest of this week. I don't want to miss out on the juicy stuff about Valen's possible father."

"You really want a reason to hate him, don't you?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Is it _that_ obvious?"

"Oh yeah." Then I told Beth all about the information that I'd gotten out Brian yesterday in more detail. I also told her about what I'd found out about Paul Gallier on my independent Internet search.

"I'm still trying to get over being used like that by someone," Beth commented afterward. "And besides, it would be nice to know if Valen really _was_ crazy like his dad. Maybe breaking up with him was the best thing that could have happened. Maybe it saved my life. I'd really like to know. That's terrifying stuff you dug up, Abby."

"I know. I'm still processing it all. I'll check with Brian about moving dinner. He'll be a little disappointed, but I don't want to hear all the news without you. I need someone there with me. I'm sure we can reschedule," I reassured her.

Beth laughed softly. "I'm honored that you'd pick me for moral support. My nights are free next week."

"Okay. We'll work it out. Thanks for letting me know."

"How are you holding up with Ray being out of town?" I'd told her about that turn of events briefly in my message to her last night as well.

"I miss him, but I don't think the reality of him being gone for an extended period of time has set in yet. If I keep busy at work, that'll help," I said, after some thought.

"Just be careful. I still haven't been able to get in touch with Valen to officially tell him off. I don't know if he's in town or not. If Valen finds out you're alone…," she let her voice trail off.

"The restraining order is in place, and I can call the police. But I'll be on guard." _Would I really or would I be welcoming? _ That was a horrible thing for me to think.

"What's the wild leopard like?" Beth asked then.

"He's a dream come true, Beth. I've never been around an animal like him. He can't be a man-eater," I told her.

"I hope you're right. But if he isn't the animal killing the women that means that there's a killer animal still out there. That's kinda scary, Abs."

I nodded, and then realized Beth couldn't see it. "True. I hadn't thought about that. Hopefully, after I meet with the M.E. and the Animal Control people, they can start a more exhaustive search for it."

"Well, let me know what Brian says about dinner next week."

"Will do." Then another thought hit me before I let Beth go. "Hey, do you have an address or phone number for Female?"

It took Beth a moment to answer. "Why? You're not thinking of trying to go talk to her are you?"

Now it was my turn to hesitate. "What if I said that I was?" I finally admitted.

"If you're trying to stay away from Valen, going and seeing Female might not be such a hot idea," Beth told me.

"That thought occurred to me too. _But_, if she is the same Female that knew Paul, I think it might be useful to talk to her. How many people are named Female, Beth?" I then asked.

Beth sighed. "I get it, Abby. I do. You want answers. But Valen lied to me about why she'd been to prison. She could be as dangerous and unstable as he apparently is."

"If I decide to meet with her, I could make sure it's a public place," I reasoned.

"I only have an address for her, Abs. You'd have to go over there."

"I think knowing the truth is worth the risk. I need to talk to her."

Beth reluctantly gave me the address she had for Female, but not until after she'd tried once more to talk me out of it. We finally said goodbye. Beth parted with a warning for me not do anything foolish. Who me? Then I started to get ready to go to work at the zoo. That's when my thoughts started to race.

_Why in the hell did I dream about Valen again? And why are the dreams such erotic ones? It's not like I'm deprived or anything, _I thought wryly. I could remember more of this dream than any of the others. _What had Valen said about being the last of our kind? Did he say something about our ancestors being leopards? I think my poor brain must be mixing metaphors or something. That couldn't be what he meant. That would be impossible. That would be crazy. Maybe I really _do_ need to go see a shrink. I must be totally losing it. Maybe I just have leopards on the brain because of my new friend at the zoo._

The truth was I liked the damn dream. All of it had felt natural. It had felt like I'd come home from a long journey. I had been wandering, lost, and then I'd returned to where I belonged. Home. That's how Valen had put it in the dream too. It was like I'd finally fit somewhere. It had been warm and inviting. I had been accepted and loved. There had been no doubt, no misgivings.

Valen had mentioned something about being soul mates. That was ludicrous. But then again, maybe it wasn't. I loved Ray, I really did…but something was off with us. Brian was right that it had been me that had had all the reservations and hesitations over the years I'd known Ray. I had to force things with Ray, or at least work really hard at convincing myself about spending my life with him. With Valen it was different. I felt a pull from him I'd never felt with anyone else. I didn't know him at all, but I could almost envision us as a couple, bonded together.

I shook my head. I needed more complete answers than the one I had. I needed to face Valen and really talk to him about my heritage. Maybe it would be a good thing to run into him while I visited with Female; if she'd even talk to me. Valen and I needed to have a long and drawn out conversation. I couldn't keep running away. That's what I'd been doing. I was afraid of what I'd find, but I couldn't afford to do that anymore. I'd said that before, but then I was the one of world's best procrastinators.

TBC…

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Did you guys like my version of the "Myth" and the "Leopard Tree Dream" from the movie? I have always wished they had done more with those scenes. Let me know how this chapter went over. There is still more to come. Promise.


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